


Delta Alpha Six: Rogue Agent

by Kirabaros



Series: Delta Alpha Six [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Suspense, black ops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-10-07 10:37:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17364431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirabaros/pseuds/Kirabaros
Summary: The nanites have been stolen, Leland is destroyed, and Gibbs had a man down. Out of all of this, a storm is coming and will force Delta Alpha Six to go dark not only to save himself but to uncover the truth behind Operation Dead Zone. Part Two of the Operation Dead Zone arc.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Previously on Delta Alpha Six…  
> … “First let me ask you this: in your years as Delta Alpha 6, have you had any contact with your old team?”  
> “No.”  
> Vance eyed Ray. “No contact whatsoever?”  
> “Only contact with military personnel are friends I made at BUD/S.”  
> … “There is always a price, Director.” Ray looked at Vance soberly. “I went from the dirty secret swept under the rug to asset Delta Alpha 6 and the cost was that I was at beck and call for anything sent my way and I couldn’t even set foot in the building unless asked. That and I was made to understand that if I was caught, I would be disavowed.” He gave a slight smirk, “So there is always a price.”  
> Vance stared at the man. He knew he had the right one for this since he didn’t take things at face value. A lesson probably learned the hard way. He knew that he wasn’t going to be able to hide much from him and what the man knew, they needed. With as slight smile, he replied, “The price… is Operation Dead Zone.”  
> Ray was literally speechless. He almost forgot to breathe when he heard the name of the one thing that he wanted to forget but really couldn’t. He blinked as he recalled that operation and he could hear the voices in his head… everything. He focused on Vance and asked, “What?”  
> Vance saw the reaction. It wasn’t visceral, but he could see the memory still had a profound effect on the man. He repeated, “Operation Dead Zone. Everything you know about the mission.”  
> … Ray opened his mouth slightly, but then bit the bullet. He replied, “Yes. The shooter was my sniper. Mark Simkins.”  
> “And Laurent?”  
> “More likely supplier. Maybe a lackey.” Ray shrugged, not meaning to be callous, but in all honesty, he didn’t know the specific role. He could only speculate at this point.  
> “It explains why the suspect’s prints were all over the casing,” Gibbs supplied.  
> Ray was willing to go with that, but something was telling him that it was a set up. Simkins was trained like he was, and it wouldn’t be hard to set someone up. And that was considering that Simkins was working for someone with deep pockets…  
> … “DZ is done, Simkins. It has been for a long time.”  
> Simkins snorted at that. “You always did have to play martyr, Sahib,” he said with a hint of anger in his voice. “You stuck your neck out for all of us and this is how they repay you and you still want to work with them?”  
> … He only looked up when he heard Simkins throw back, “Wounds have been left opened to fester… JJ Rook.”  
> … He collided with a nearby lab table and landed hard on the ground amidst shattered glass. A weight pressed on him and tried to restrain him.  
> “Should’ve stayed out of it, Rook.”  
> Ray looked up, grunting at a face he hadn’t seen in years. He narrowed his eyes and grunted, “And I trusted you.”  
> “Still can, Rook.”  
> There was an explosion of glass that caused Ray’s captor to flinch, but he didn’t relinquish his grip. Ray struggled but it was not possible, and he couldn’t call Callisto. He didn’t even know where she was. He could hear her growling and grunts of pain along with intermittent gunfire. His focus though was on the face above his.  
> “Use what the Company gave you. Put the pieces together for us.”  
> … Ray turned slightly and saw the light. He went with instinct and pushed McGee through the door. There was a loud thump. He probably was a little too hard on the pushing, but he had only a little amount of time to get them both in a position to be out of the full force of the blast. He was barely entering he door when his body went through the door, feeling a white hot pain in his back. The world went black as he heard the shattering of the windows of the floor blowing out…

The smoke was thick in the air. The sprinklers finally went off and were dousing the area, putting out the fire finally. There was shattered glass and wires from equipment scattered everywhere. Some furniture had been overturned from the explosion. Ziva winced as she opened her eyes and found herself staring at shattered glass and material littering the ground.

Pushing herself up, she looked around. She could make out the prone forms of Gibbs and DiNozzo. They were alive, but the explosion had been disorienting. Taking deep breaths, she looked around. She had to see if McGee and Ray were okay.

She knew that Ray wasn’t going to betray them. He was just doing what he did best and that was making sure his team was not in the line of fire. Even after the exchange, he went after Simkins to get back the nanites. Until he noticed the explosives. That was how they got separated. Just where… She looked around.

A slight whine caught Ziva’s attention amidst the sounds of the approaching sirens. She turned to see Callisto nosing her cheek and giving a reassuring lick. She felt relieved that the dog was alive and well and couldn’t help but wrap her hands around her neck. “Callisto,” she murmured.

Callisto made a slight whimper and pressed into Ziva. She sat down when Ziva released her and stood up slowly, ever attentive. She was on her feet when Ziva said, “Come on, girl. Find your handler and McGee. Seek.”

When Ray first got the dog, Ziva thought that he was being punitive since they were at odds even after they resolved the Rivkin thing. He was guarded with her and almost seemed shy and afraid about letting his true feelings show. He wasn’t rude. Just wary. Then when they were meeting up, he has a dog with him all of a sudden and it had her wary.

It wasn’t like that though. The dog was retired after the handler died in Afghanistan. They had difficulty pairing it with another one and she was deemed excess until Ray literally walked by. She knew he still visited his old SEAL friends and just happened to be on base that day when they were trying one last time to pair Callisto. Ray walked by and at first, they thought she was going to attack him since she made a beeline to him at full speed.

When Ray turned and saw her, he just stood there. He admitted it was crazy, but it felt right, and she came to a halt in front of him and sat, ready for a command. It was bizarre, but the trainers decided to run with it. They discharged Callisto and she became Ray’s dog. They trained together most days when he wasn’t sent to the ends of the earth on a mission. He kept up the handler training and maintained her status as a working dog. That was why she was allowed at HQ.

Callisto took to Ziva the first day. Ray said it was because strong minded females always knew each other and stuck together. He meant it as a compliment and Ziva took it for what it was and teased him back, saying that it was because it took two strong minded females to keep an eye on a tough and stubborn SEAL. It was a start on their relationship.

Now Ziva was using Callisto to find Ray and McGee. She had a feeling that wherever Ray was, McGee would be there as well. In the short time they were together, they had become friends. And it helped that Callisto took a liking to McGee, probably because she smelled Jethro on him. It didn’t matter. She had to find them and make sure that they were okay.

She slowly made her way through the lab, letting Callisto find the way. She was concerned that the dog’s feet might be at risk from the glass. She would have to worry about that later. She followed Callisto towards the back of the lab. It had her frown, not at the damage, but at the fact that they were in the back of the lab. She coughed from a thick plume of smoke and looked around since Callisto slowed down and was sifting.

A sharp bark drew Ziva to the door. She hesitated and checked before pushing it open enough for her to slip through with the dog. There was debris everywhere and it was a wonder the floor didn’t collapse. It occurred to her that the explosion was just enough to cause damage and possibly kill any loose ends. She sighed in relief once she realized it and started moving debris to get more into the stairwell, thankful that she wasn’t in an elevator.

That had been a scary moment when she and DiNozzo were trapped in the elevator when Dearing blew up the bomb near HQ. She and DiNozzo were unhurt but the damage was the fact that even with all the training in the world, she was still vulnerable. She got that in Somalia, but it hit home with the explosion, and it made her realize how much she wished that Ray had been there with her; she realized the depth of her feelings despite what she had said previously.

Moving into the stairwell, she swallowed when she saw the sickening sight of blood. Callisto was sniffing it and whining. From the lab, she could hear Gibbs calling for her. She shouted, “In the stairwell near the back. I… I think I found McGee.”

She barely registered Gibbs’ reply as she swallowed back her fear and moved to follow the blood. It went down the stairs to the next landing. She went slowly, trying to brace herself but the high pitched whine of Callisto forced her to move faster. She paused and looked down, her eyes following the blood trail to two bodies.

Ray was lying on top of McGee, almost like he had been thrown into the man and they fell down the stairs. He had a grip on McGee though like he was protecting him. Just like he did with everyone that was important to him.

Training kicked in and Ziva called Callisto back, so she could give a look over. Both were breathing so that was good. McGee looked like he had been knocked out, but his breathing was good. There were no injuries like bullet holes, except for the one he took in the chest with his vest and that would leave bruising. That left where the source of the blood was coming from.

She saw the tear in his sleeve and saw the graze from the bullet through the rent in the sleeve. It wasn’t enough to cause what she saw in the stairwell. She coughed again from the smoke and found that Ray was looking at her almost bleary eyed. She probed, “Ray? Can you hear me?”

“Wrong question, Ziv,” he joked weakly.

Ziva narrowed her eyes at him but took it as a sign that he was not seriously injured in terms of his head. The joking was proof of that as she retorted, “You are supposed to ask that when doing triage. You’re a SEAL. You know that.”

“Not a medic.”

Ziva snorted at that and proceeded to do the head to toe assessment. She paused when he said tiredly, “I wish we were at my place. Then I’d ask for a massage. My back feels a bit numb.”

Her eyes trailed down. The smoke had cleared a little and she could hear the emergency services sirens outside the building. She checked, and her eyes widened when she got to his lower back and saw a large shard of glass sticking out. It was wedged in there pretty tight and no doubt the pressure from the puncture was keeping him from bleeding out completely.

“I’m sorry.”

Ziva looked at the man and started to panic when he closed his eyes. By then the medics had made their way up the stairs and she was told to back away. She did manage to shout to watch out for the glass in Ray’s back as she pulled Callisto towards her. It wouldn’t help if the dog started barking and then got overprotective. She watched as they slowly moved the bodies to pull out McGee and then Ray. She swallowed, wanting to say that there was nothing to be sorry for.

****

Bethesda Naval Hospital was considered the most prominent of military hospitals and could claim servicing a few presidents. It was the best to be when faced with injuries. For McGee, it was all too familiar. At least he wasn’t in the same position he had been admitted with a shard of glass sticking out of his abdomen. He couldn’t say the same for his friend and fellow agent. He looked down the hall at the other trauma room where they were stabilizing the person on his mind.

“How are you feeling, McGee?”

McGee blinked and turned to see Gibbs was looking at him. He blinked since he was remembering what happened. The smoke had gotten into him and overtook him and thought he was going to die from smoke inhalation. Not until Ray came and hauled him up and pushed him into the stairwell the moment the explosives ignited. He remembered hitting the deck hard and it knocked the wind out of him and he bumped his head. Then Ziva was checking him over…

Seeing that Gibbs’ was waiting for an answer, he replied, “I’m good Boss. Salazar?”

Gibbs shifted on his feet and glanced down the way. He didn’t betray his thoughts when he saw the doctors and nurses going in and out. He looked back at McGee and replied, “They’re taking care of it. What about you?”

McGee knew that he wasn’t going to get anything else out of Gibbs. There was no news anyway until Ray bought it or was stabilized enough to give a report. He nodded, “I’m good. Just a bruise from the vest and nothing that a Band-Aid can’t work.”

It was glib like DiNozzo would do, but McGee’s thoughts weren’t on that. Gibbs studied the agent sitting on the gurney. It was the same as the doctor said when they were checked out. McGee had been lucky that the bullet hit the vest. It would leave a mark, but no lasting damage and the bump to the head yielded no concussion. All in all… they were lucky.

Looking at McGee, Gibbs gestured, “Since you’re okay, Doc’s discharging you.”

“And…”

“Salazar is still being worked on.”

It meant that there was to be no discussion at the moment. McGee nodded and hopped down just as the discharge papers were being brought to him. He signed them, absently listening to the post care orders. It was the usual in a case like this. He followed Gibbs out to the waiting area where DiNozzo and Ziva were waiting along with Abby and Ducky ambled in.

“McGee you’re okay!”

McGee braced himself for the bone crushing hug that Abby gave him. He returned it knowing that it was more about worry for him. He muttered, “I’m okay, Abs.”

Abby made a sound as she held onto McGee. She had hugged everyone else. There was one that she couldn’t hug, and he was currently being worked on. It scared her. To see her ‘big brother’ and then possibly lose him again… She knew what he did as a SEAL and it was part of the job and she admitted that she operated in ignorance on that, but now she had to acknowledge that it was becoming a real possibility.

McGee patted her on the back and gave her a peck on her forehead like he usually did when she gave them a break in a case. He stepped back and gave a reassuring smile. It helped since Abby nodded but she wasn’t babbling. It clearly meant that she was worried. They all were, and he could see it looking at them. Even Gibbs, who was as stoic as ever.

Finally, a doctor came out and asked, “You’re here for Ray Salazar?”

Gibbs stepped forward, “His primary. What do you go, doc?”

The doctor cleared his throat a little as he held the chart he was carrying. He looked at the group assembled before him and answered the question, “We’ve managed to stabilize him and taking him up to surgery. He had some lacerations and contusions, couple of broken ribs and shrapnel which we are moving to correct now.”

He barely finished when there was a loud crash causing all eyes to turn. Gibbs was impassive, barely widening his eyes as he moved towards the man that seemed to have jumped off the gurney that was almost to the elevator. He kept a bland face, ignoring the fact that the nurses and the residents were starting to panic at the man that was in a defensive position despite the fact that he was in probable pain.

“Sir, please restrain yourself,” a nurse said. She had her hands up and trying to inch closer.

Gibbs knew that it could not end well and motioned for her to stand back as he advanced, “Stand down, Skipper.”

Ray refused to relax even though he normally would have responded to the order. He looked at Gibbs with that narrowed look that Gibbs knew well. He had seen it with Marines that were on active duty and when confronted in a dangerous situation. It occurred to him that his agent was reacting to the last thing he remembered. He pressed, “Skipper…”

Before Gibbs could say anything else, he heard Ziva say something. It sounded like it was in Hebrew and he turned to see Ziva standing next to him and advancing slowly like the nurse did. He would have said something, but he watched as she kept her gaze on Ray while speaking. She looked like she did when she was interrogating a suspect.

It seemed to work and had Gibbs raise a brow as Ray lowered his defenses. He still had it raised when Ziva said, “Gibbs.”

Gibbs looked at his agent and said, “Skipper, you need to stand down.”

Ray looked at Gibbs with eyes that looked like they were glassed over either from pain or meds or both. In any case, it was a wonder that the man managed to spring up from the gurney and was ready to jump into a fight. Now, he was calm enough and allowed the nurses to get him back on the gurney to take him up to surgery and not a moment too soon since he was bleeding all over the floor.

Gibbs waited until they took him away before turning towards the doctor that had been giving the report and silently asked for more information. The doctor complied, “He was a little resistant in transport according to the EMTs.”

“He’s a SEAL, doc,” Gibbs replied. “What are we looking at?”

“Surgery now,” the doctor replied as he looked at the group. “A couple of hours at most. Judging from the reaction, he should be up in no time. The best thing is to go home and get some rest.”

It was probably the wrong thing to say to Gibbs. DiNozzo and Ziva certainly could see that, but Gibbs was playing nice and, in all fairness, the doctor was right. Besides, it was the same thing that Gibbs would say to his agents. Gibbs acknowledged the doctor with a thanks and turned to go dismiss his team leaving Ducky to talk to the doctor for technical details. Coming to a stop in front of DiNozzo, he said, “Take Abby home, DiNozzo and go home yourself.” He gave a look that would brook no argument. Not that DiNozzo would consider it.

“On it, Boss.”

The same was directed to McGee, but he paused when he got to Ziva. Ziva knew that she was going to have to do some explaining. That would mean that she would have to reveal a few things and she wasn’t sure how Gibbs would react. She long suspected that Gibbs had an idea that Ray was involved. There wasn’t much that the man missed when it came to working on a case.

Ziva stood there as Gibbs looked at her. She didn’t blink, more out of force or habit and no desire to be seen as weak. She looked at the man as he stared at her and felt like she was going to be interrogated. And it wasn’t going to be pretty.

“When?” Gibbs questioned with a straight look.

Ziva had an idea of what Gibbs meant but decided to play it off like she always had, “When what?”

“When did you two meet?” Gibbs stepped forward while keeping his voice low. It was the tone that would scar the most junior of agents and he was using it on a person who had heard it times before, but he was adamant in knowing.

Ziva knew she should probably say something about her relationship; how she was essentially like a handler/asset to Ray while he was living in limbo. Yet, she sensed that it was better to keep it a secret. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Gibbs. It was more along the lines of her deep-seated feelings for Ray. It was a desire to protect him from the world that had burned him so many times. She didn’t need to do it since he had made that clear many times previously. She wanted to.

Looking at Gibbs in the eye, she did what she was good at. She replied, “First time was yesterday, Gibbs.”

“Then how do explain what I just saw then?”

Ziva glanced at the door that Ray had disappeared behind covertly while she looked at Gibbs. She could tell that he could lose his patience if she didn’t tell him something that was plausible. She could hardly tell him that it was something she learned the last several years working on the down low. Taking a silent breath, she began, “We had a break together over coffee. He happened to notice my necklace and…”

“Ziva.”

“It’s the truth Gibbs,” Ziva asserted. “We had a break together. Coffee. I knew his name had Arabic origins and we talked about it.” She looked downward a bit as she shifted on her feet. Looking back up at Gibbs she added, “He spoke Arabic to me and I went along with it.” She locked her gaze on the man.

Gibbs knew that there was something Ziva wasn’t telling him. He suspected that his old probie had an inside man and he wasn’t losing his mind when he saw Ray a few times they were on the case. Ray wouldn’t have traveled to Somalia to rescue a member of his team just because. He could press and demand she tell him, but he was astute enough to know that there was a reason behind it.

Ziva was starting to think that Gibbs wasn’t buying what she said. What she said was essentially the truth. Just not the entire truth. Of course, Ray would point out it was still a lie and then add he was hardly one to ride the righteous high horse since lying was part of his job description when he was sent on his missions. She shifted on her feet. She decided to add, “He just happened to mention a song that he used to hear as a child that his mother knew. I just said the words.”

Gibbs studied Ziva some more. He knew she was being honest. Just not completely and his gut was telling him that it was the right thing. What happened at Leland was going to come back on them. What, he wasn’t sure. Stepping back, he relaxed slightly and replied, “Okay.”

Ziva eyed Gibbs warily. She accepted it and stepped back herself. She offered, “Um, I’ll take Callisto. I doubt McGee would want to take in another dog.”

“Good idea,” Gibbs replied. He started to walk away but paused to whisper, “I understand. Don’t strangle yourself with it.”

Ziva didn’t say anything but let Gibbs walk away. That told her he definitely had some idea that she and Ray knew each other. At least he wasn’t going to chew her out for not telling him everything. Maybe he knew like her that there was a storm coming.


	2. Chapter 2

The place was rather high end for breakfast. It was more suited for fancy dinners and maybe luncheons. Then again, the clientele that frequented the place expected all the fancy stuff. And it was where the guys on the hill made their deals to benefit or screw the common man. Simkins knew that he had to keep up appearances and straightened his jacket while looking for his contact.

Surveying the other patrons, Simkins resisted snorting at their superficial outlook while looking around. He found his contact and heaved a bored sigh before walking towards the table. He kept his hands in his pockets as he strolled towards the table. He grinned at the occupant and said nonchalantly, “Pretty high end for a meeting.”

His contact looked at him with a raised brow. “This wasn’t for your benefit, Simkins. I have a meeting with a very important client.” They smiled at him and gestured to the empty seat. “But I am not rude. Please, have a seat.”

Simkins snorted but took a seat with his best manners and raised his brow when a waiter came with a napkin and asking what he wanted to drink. He said he wanted water though he would much prefer a beer. He waited until the waiter was gone before saying, “Hobnobbing on the hill has always been your thing. A gift that you fully exploit. Suits you, Syd.”

Sydney Lane gave a smile that was more polite than friendly as she took a sip of the hot tea that she had been drinking. She retorted, “And you look like you always do, Simkins. The podunk farm boy with a big mouth.”

“Seven generations of horse breeders and still going strong even with all the crap I’ve been into, Syd. So, I know good stock when I see it.” Simkins fingered the glass with his water but didn’t attempt to drink it. He smiled politely and adjusted his seat. “I know you didn’t summon me here to talk about that.”

Sydney took another sip of tea. She didn’t look at Simkins more as a means of putting him in his place even though she knew it wasn’t going to have any effect on him. He simply didn’t care anymore. She replied, “You didn’t do your job. He’s still alive.”

Simkins leaned on the table and picked up his glass and took a sip. “We did the job and stole the tech. Not my fault Rook showed up.”

“We both knew he would.” Sydney looked up and folded her hands. Her gaze was impenetrable. Her voice became low, “Everything was calculated down to the fact that he would show up and when he did, it would be your job to finish him. That, you didn’t do.” She sat still, staring at Simkins as if it would intimidate him.

“You said finish him,” Simkins pointed out. He gave a wry grin as he continued, “And that doesn’t necessarily mean physical death, Syd. You should remember that there are ways to kill a man without it being bloody.”

“I wanted him dead. He knows everything, and he could tell NCIS…”

“He won’t.”

“He will.”

Simkins looked at Sydney with a deadpan expression. He stared at her for a moment before replying, “Have you forgotten the one thing he was known for, Syd?” He pointed at the table, tapping his forefinger on it. “When he gives his word, he keeps it. Wonder why he’s called Rook?”

“I know why you jarheads gave him that.”

“Hey, I’m Navy. Get it right.” Simkins pointed at her in warning. He relaxed though to keep it civil since they were in a public place. “And don’t diss your place either, Syd. Anyway, he won’t talk.”

“But he’s still alive.”

“And after what happened in Leland, looks like he’ll be out of commission.” Simkins took another sip of water as he crossed his legs. He looked around for a little bit and then looked at Sydney. “And I’m sure that you have your kissing ass will pay off once you demand investigation.”

Sydney looked at Simkins with a look of dislike. She knew he was about business and he could be sly on the goading and occasionally would surprise you with flirting. Yet, he took his job seriously as he did morning prayers. She huffed as she looked away, “Rook is the only one that has the key to everything.”

“I highly doubt it.”

Sydney turned and shot a glare at him. “Don’t be a fool, Simkins.”

Simkins had been laughing at her when she snapped at him. He stopped and took a look at her. He could tell that she was being serious. He sighed and sobered, leaning back in his chair. “Syd, I know you found out a few things and you want to make them pay for what they did to all of us, but why do you want to kill Rook? He’s one of us. He took the fall for us.”

“Because he still believes in them even after all that they did to him.” Sydney sat back in her seat and crossed her own legs elegantly. She took the silver pot and poured herself some more tea. “A fool and an idealist.”

“But a damn good SEAL.”

“Wasted his talents.”

Simkins hummed in agreement as he put his hands in his lap. From a distance, he looked like a man that was having a business conversation and well relaxed. He sides and looked away to stare out the window they were near. “He’s dead to them again, Syd. Check the security logs. He’s the one that broke the encryption.”

Sydney looked up from her cup. She looked at Simkins with a raised brow. She put the cup in its saucer and held it on her lap, “You what?”

“I figured that he would come alone; we both did. I also figured that he would have someone following him.” Simkins chuckled at the memory. “He thought he could fool me into thinking that he would join us. Almost had the agent he was with convinced.”

Sydney studied Simkins as she took another sip of tea. This was unexpected but there were still risks. With everything she found out… There was going to be hell to pay. She didn’t like that a good man had to suffer all these years. It rankled that he still believed in the system and they were still using him. She was well aware that they used him for black ops; he was dispensable. And he did it for them so that they didn’t suffer the penalty.

Placing her cup on the table, she checked her watch, “My client should be arriving.”

“And I expect you will be getting the phone call soon about Leland.” Simkins finished his water and stood up. He straightened his jacket and buttoned it. “Don’t worry about Rook. He’s expendable and they will keep him out of the way.”

Sydney looked at Simkins with a firm look, “They better or we’re going to have a problem.”

“Don’t worry, Syd. You know the cleaner for this kind of thing. You know how she _hates_ him.” Simkins grinned as he leaned over and gave a polite peck on her cheek. He whispered, “Rook won’t be your problem. I’ll always take care of you Syd.”

“Just go.”

Simkins smirked as he turned to walk away. He smiled politely so people would think it was just a friendly conversation. He gave slight wave as he turned to walk away. He left the dining area and made his way to the lobby where his right hand was waiting for him, looking bored when in truth he was annoyed that he had to stand there looking like an idiot. Simkins gestured at him to join and follow.

“How was it?”

“Just a sitrep.”

“And?”

Simkins glanced at his right hand with a raised brow. “Continuing as planned, Warbler. Get the package ready.”

Warbler nodded and continued walking side by side. He looked around and noted how the people just walked about doing their business. That was the thing about people. They ignored everything around them unless it directly pertained to them. He had seen it plenty of times and they called it the bystander effect. The world acted the same way with all the atrocities in the world.

“Everything is going to plan.”

“I take it she didn’t like that Rook is still alive.”

Simkins snorted, “She thinks all problems have to be solved with a dead man. It’s so fucking messy.”

Warbler nodded in agreement. “And what of your methods?”

“She realized the implications.”

Warbler nodded. He didn’t really like the methods Simkins was taking. He had seen a lot when he had been placed on this assignment and each day he got in deeper, he worried that he would be found out. He suspected that when Simkins kept him arm’s length from anything in the operation. He knew enough to know what was going down, but not enough to really nail the fact that technology was being sold to America’s enemies, particularly terrorists.

Warbler looked at Simkins as they approached their car. He opened the back door and let Simkins in first before getting in. “If Rook does pull through, he’ll go on the run. We won’t be able to find him. They trained him to be a ghost after they pulled from JSOC.”

“I know. The bastard always had a way of being sneaky on an op. Never lost a man until DZ.”

Warbler blinked and looked out the window at the city. “Are you trying to make things difficult for Syd?”

“Just having a little fun, Warbler,” Simkins replied with a grin. He looked at his man and added, “We already got one of those bastards that did this. If Rook gets in the way, I’ll just take care of him. For the most part he’s a dead man anyway. They’ll look at treason for him.”

Warbler blinked at that. That was a very real possibility. Inwardly he winced at the possibility. Everything that happened last night was going to come down hard on Rook. He could only hope that his injuries weren’t severe enough and he could get on the move. Once that, Rook would make sure that no one that mattered would get involved.

“That woman that was there last night. She looked familiar.”

Warbler turned his attention to Simkins. He raised his brow, “That NCIS agent? The one that looked ready to rip your throat out with her bare hands?”

“That’s the one.” Simkins looked ahead as he mused on it. “I know I have seen her before from somewhere. And you know that I don’t forget a beautiful face.”

Warbler narrowed his eyes slightly. He recognized the tone. Simkins was up to something. He recognized the woman, at least where she was from. “She’s Mossad. I saw the necklace.”

“The navy cops have a Mossad agent on their team?” Simkins looked at his man with disbelief. “Where the fucking hell is the world coming to? You sure?”

“Saw the Star of David, myself. Why?”

Simkins put a hand to his chin. An idea came to mind based on what he observed, “Oh just that I think I found out something about dear old Rook.”

Warbler looked at Simkins in surprise, “You think…?”

“It was in the eyes, Warbler,” Simkins answered. He leaned back in his seat. “I could see it and if I’m right… she will be the one that will help him.”

Warbler felt uncomfortable with this. This changed the game if Simkins was having ideas about going after people not involved with DZ. He didn’t let it show but his mind went to work on how he could work with the situation to make it less collateral damage. He closed his eyes as he recalled when he asked Rook to help them. Now, he felt like he was going to regret it.

****

The apartment could be considered the epitome of a geek’s haven. The shelves were full of odd collections of action figures, electronics and hobby projects with no discernable logic to them. Books occasionally littered the shelves except for one bookcase that was full of books next to a desk that looked like a technician’s disaster area. The place thought was fairly clean, and a person wasn’t in danger of accidentally falling or injuring themselves on the gear that was there.

The blinds were drawn but the morning light was peeking in through the window of the section of the living area that was dedicated to work. Danny Chen was fast asleep in the desk chair, one of his splurges, after a long night. He had just finished working on a web page for a client that was worth quite a bit and spent the rest of the night surfing the net and then launching a campaign with his online squad against their rival. He had earned a little break.

He did have to face the consequences of waking up with a stiff neck and he groaned when he straightened up, trying to massage the crick in his neck. It was still early but he knew he had to get it together since he had a class today and he had to check his grade for the online course he was taking at a different university. Yeah, he was a geek, and some said a genius. He didn’t think so, but he knew things.

Massaging his neck, he walked to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. He didn’t feel like going to class, but he didn’t want to fall behind either. Like that would happen. He was just easily bored. He wanted a challenge and managed to find that with one of the professors as a research assistant.

It was unusual research, but Danny liked the challenge of it. It also opened up the possibilities of other forms of employment. Building and maintaining websites was a hobby and it paid the bills. It paid to know tech. Professor Gibson though offered something that made movies like _The Terminator_ seem like a children’s program.

Finished with his shower, Danny dressed and came out of his room drying his hair. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television. The morning news came on and Danny heard it but wasn’t really listening since it was the usual cheery stuff and what a good morning it was. He didn’t notice that it was talking about a break in and an explosion. He heard it but didn’t pay attention and he made coffee.

Watching the news was force of habit and he did like to be kept abreast of what was going on in the world. That saying about being informed, if there was one, made sense. He took a sip of his coffee and turned towards the television. He watched the newscaster as they talked about an exploding building and the footage cut to the outside of some building. Danny watched and shrugged as he turned to go and pack up his things. By then the story changed to some deal going on at the hill. All politics to him.

He finished and decided to check his emails before he left. He went back to his computer and woke it up to find a message across the screen. He frowned and almost growled at the thought that he was being hacked. He was one of those types that was paranoid about his cybersecurity. He had done it enough himself to know how to protect himself. He started tapping the keys on his keyboard to clear it up and maybe find out who was trying to be an asshole with him.

The screen changed, and a window popped up. Danny frowned as he looked at it. It looked like a set of vitals but not necessarily human vitals. It was a bit confusing, but it held his interest. Another window popped up, an IM message.

_You said you wanted a challenge._

Danny read it and it disappeared quickly. He blinked as he realized what it was. Rolling his eyes, but with urgency, he pulled a cable out of his drawer and grabbed a laptop, a special one and plugged his computer to it. While it was working, he grabbed his bag and a few other odds and ends. Once it was done, he unplugged his computer and grabbed the laptop and shoved it in his bag. He was out of the apartment in a flash.

The university wasn’t too far away, walking or, in his case, biking distance. He made be a nerd, but he liked to keep in shape. It was why he rode a bike and occasionally trained for a marathon. He jumped on his and began to cycle away from the campus. It looked like class would be missed today if it was what he was thinking that was on his laptop. No matter. Gibson would square it away.

Danny pedaled fast in the direction of the prearranged location. When he first signed on, he thought Professor Gibson was crazy about being off university property. He didn’t think much of it when he agreed to it, thinking that he would cater to the crazy professor that was popular and brilliant and then he would get a good word in on his thesis. He never expected that he would actually be going there, but he was.

He pedaled his way through towards the building that they were to meet in. He tethered his bike with the others there, making sure that it was secure, and no one could take it. It was highly unlikely. But he didn’t want to risk it. Making sure he had his bag, he entered the building and started going up the stairs, ignoring the sounds of people in the halls, the arguing couple that was always fighting about something.

Danny long got over the weirdness of having an offsite lab. He mostly thought it was a joke and humored the old man that gave him a coveted job while he was a student. Now, he was starting to think that there was more to it and it was on the laptop he held securely in the back around his shoulders as he made his way up the stairs.

The key was kept on a ring that he attached to a USB drive and made it look like it was something unimportant. It wasn’t the best security, but it was enough to ignore when people noticed and asked about it. There was a spare key that was hidden at the door to the rented space and only to be used for emergencies. It was second nature to check and make sure that nothing was moved.

He was barely in the door when his cell phone rang. He shut and locked the door and answered it, “Hello?”

_Are you there?_

Danny recognized the sound of his mentor and resisted rolling his eyes as he walked towards the second room. “Yeah. I’m here G.”

He was pretty informal with the professor and it was allowed. He opened his bag and pulled out the laptop. “The data started coming in. It was off the charts.”

_Plug it in._

“Working on it.” Danny had put the phone on speaker to allow him to use both his hands. He pulled out the laptop and the connector cables. He opened the laptop to view the data streaming in as he moved to plug into the larger computer flat screen. He looked at the data and his eyes widened, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

_You said you wanted a challenge. Are you up and running over there?_

Danny rolled his eyes as he finished connecting and moved the data over and set it up. “You should be getting something now.”

_You know the protocol, Danny._

Danny rolled his eyes again, “Yeah. Only here.”

_Are you up?_

“Yes. Stream is perfect, but…” Danny stared at the screen. “I have never seen anything like this. I mean the initial stuff was… well… normal.” His eyes looked at the readings that had been separated out. “This is like off the charts.”

_How far off?_

“Like something is wrong off the chart,” Danny replied. “It’s like whatever the system is went into overdrive.”

There was silence over the line. Danny had been watching the feed, but he noticed the silence. He frowned at the silence and glanced at the phone resting on the table. “Professor G?”

_I’m coming over. Don’t leave._

Danny looked at his phone, “You do know that I have class today.”

_I’ll square it away with your instructor. Stay there._

Before Danny could say anything, the line was disconnected. He growled and shook his head. It wasn’t the first time that he had to miss class for this project he was working on. Always Professor Gibson was the one to square things away and there were no problems. Just a make up assignment. He never understood how that was possible, but it was, and he just went with it.

Sighing, Danny turned to look at the data. Since he had time, he might as well take a closer look at things. Initially, he thought it was some data from sensors or something from the research project that Professor Gibson had going on. The funny thing was that when he inquired at the office because he needed information for his financial aid, he was told that the professor wasn’t working on any projects.

It had Danny suspicious, but he stuck with it since the professor was a nice guy and he was getting paid for his help. He certainly helped to build a few things for this. He was the one who made sure this place had the specs for their power needs. Eventually Professor Gibson revealed to him that this was an old research project that had started showing signs of change and he needed a better monitoring system.

It was a start and eventually Danny learned that it had applications for biomedical uses. That was the challenge he was looking for. He was a geek and a nerd and the idea that biotech could be advanced for use in humans was fascinating. Professor Gibson though looked worried and scared at the whole thing while he was setting up and didn’t calm down until this place was built. Now, he was anxious again and it had Danny thinking that the readings he was getting had more to it than meets the eye, and it made him determined to find out.

Pulling up a chair, he began looking at the data that was coming in. To anyone looking at it, it looked like computer code. It just needed to be translated into something else. It was simple matter of putting it through the program, a few keystrokes. He did it and his eyes widened as to what he was seeing.

“Oh boy,” he muttered as he stared at the screen.

The screen had shown several windows and they were readings like he suspected. It was just that they were more than what he was expecting. He sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. “Man, I certainly didn’t think that he had actually done it,” he said as he stared at the screen. “But he did and looks like they are going wild.”


	3. Chapter 3

It was early in the morning, but the rumors were that Gibbs was one to run without sleep, especially if he was on the case. For the most part it was true and doubly so when it concerned an agent on his team. He took a sip of his coffee as he waited for the elevator to open onto the floor where the bullpen was.

It was probably not the best thing to be doing, working on the case after last night and with an agent in the hospital, but Gibbs knew that if they were going to get answers, they had to work it. Until Vance said otherwise, they were still on the case and probably Balboa’s team was on standby. First step though was the reports and that was where he found DiNozzo and Ziva.

They were at their desks writing their reports about the incident at Leland. They could work the case, but they had been told to cool their heels and be prepared to make statements to Balboa’s team. Part and parcel of protocol, but Gibbs thought that that they had better things to do. Like track down the bastard that escape.

Rounding the corner, Gibbs glanced up and saw that Vance was looking at; he had been waiting for him to arrive. It was to be expected since his old friend and probie was under the microscope and he was being pestered for information on an op that got him burned and he was still under a gag order. There was also the fact that word must have gotten back to Vance about Ray and his aiding and abetting despite the fact that he turned on them and tried to stop it. It was time for accountability.

Knowing that he had to report in, Gibbs diverted course after setting his coat down. He kept his coffee with him as he made his way up the stairs to join Vance. He only paused to rub the ears of Callisto as she passed, bringing the toy she had in her mouth to Ziva’s desk. He gave a slight smile. He liked the dog and maybe she would come in handy.

He walked up the stairs to join Vance, “Leon.”

Vance straightened up and replied, “Gibbs.” He gestured towards his office.

Gibbs walked in, taking a sip of his coffee. By the time he turned, Vance was in the office and he didn’t waste time, “So… what the hell happened?”

Gibbs stared at Vance. His forefinger rubbed on his coffee cup before he took another sip. He replied, “Salazar had a lead and went after it.” He gave a slight shrug, knowing that it wasn’t going to fly with Vance.

Vance shifted on his feet, “Alone? Armed with a fully trained service dog?”

“He’s a trained agent. Knows tactical breaching. Man’s a SEAL Leon.” Gibbs shifted on his feet and turned to track Vance as the man made it to his desk.

“But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t check in and fill us in,” Vance pointed out. “I got the feeling that he trusts you more than anyone.”

“He has,” Gibbs admitted, “But not this time.” He looked at Vance with a clear expression. “He followed orders last time and it got him burned. He was on payroll as a budget charge until this happened.”

“Not entirely.”

Gibbs looked at Vance. He didn’t say anything, but he made a gesture with his head like he wasn’t sure if he heard right. He shuffled on his feet, a subtle gesture for Vance to continue despite the fact that he wanted to really vent.

Vance sensed it too and explained, “Salazar has been on a special payroll. Courtesy of my predecessor.” He stared at Gibbs to let it sink in.

Gibbs opened his mouth slightly and closed it. Finding the words he needed, he spoke, “What exactly did she have him do, Leon?”

Leon leaned on his desk. He crossed his arms over his chest, “I’m not exactly sure of that myself except that it explains why he was sighted in LA, San Diego, here and Somalia on various cases NCIS was investigating or rescue missions.” He looked at Gibbs.

“Jen put him on black ops. Why? Saying she could get him back in?”

“Seems like it,” Leon admitted, “Much of the details are nonexistent. Only ones who would know… one is dead, and the other is in the hospital.”

Gibbs shifted on his feet. He knew that Director Shepard had done secret things in the past. The whole thing with the frog and DiNozzo was one of them. This was something completely different and the only people who had all the details was her and his old probie. The first thought was wondering what Shepard had been thinking. The second was what was probie thinking and agreeing to it.

“Look, it was a stepping stone. Why Salazar agreed to it is anybody’s guess considering he wasn’t thrilled being reinstated.”

“Would you be?”

“Point taken.” Vance paused as he looked downward. He sighed before deciding to get to the business at hand. “Jethro, this has reached the ears of people on the Hill. SECNAV was calling me and asking what was going on that a contracted biotech firm had an explosion and missing R&D technology.”

“Still working the case.”

“And does that involve having one of our agents aiding and abetting?”

Gibbs didn’t say anything. It allowed Vance to move over to his computer. He tapped a few keys and pulled up a security feed. Gibbs turned to see footage and clear on the screen was Ray, hovered over the console. He knew that it was the security system to the vault he was breaking into. It was very damning since there was no evidence that he was being coerced. He turned towards Vance, “And what about afterwards.”

“Conveniently not available,” Vance replied. He didn’t need to spell it out to Gibbs the implications about that. He waited a few moments before continuing, “And I’m not going to have any choice. Salazar will need to be brought in.”

“Do that and he’s done for good.”

“You don’t think I don’t know that.”

“You think he’s innocent.”

“He’s guilty of aiding.”

“He did it because McGee was in trouble.”

“But there is no proof except your agent’s word.”

Gibbs nodded, “Should be enough. McGee is as good as they come. Everyone will give their statement.”

Vance looked at Gibbs. He knew his agents were clean. They wouldn’t do anything to compromise an investigation. He wasn’t blind and had seen the way how the team bonded with Salazar. The man didn’t have to do much. He was a natural leader and really good at what he could do as much as he was able to glean from what was available. The man’s file was the very definition of black ops. Unfortunately, it seemed that this case opened a can of worms that was going to prove to be rather difficult to keep under control.

Gibbs knew that they were in a real bind. The look from Vance was enough for him to voice, “But it’s not enough.”

“With what we have… FBI is taking over along with NSA.”

Gibbs didn’t let his emotions show but he was alarmed. They were definitely in trouble if FBI and NSA were after a man who spent nearly a decade being invisible. “When?”

“They are coming in now. They are going to want to speak to Agents David and DiNozzo. McGee as well.”

Gibbs spread his arms, “They have nothing to hide.”

It was mostly true, but Gibbs knew that Ziva was hiding something. He didn’t press at the hospital but everything from Ziva’s word choice to her body language suggested that she had known his old friend for a long time. How long was the question and he knew that he wasn’t going to get the answer anytime soon. At least from Ziva’s end. If the FBI and NSA questioned them…

“For your sake, I hope so,” Vance replied giving Gibbs a knowing look. When Gibbs didn’t say anything, he continued, “I did request that Agent Fornell be assigned to the inquiry. As for NSA, I have no control over it.”

“Better than can be expected, Leon.”

Vance nodded, giving Gibbs the go ahead to leave. He watched as Gibbs left his office before releasing the breath he had been holding in throughout his conversation with Gibbs. He looked on the wall at the security video. He knew that Salazar was doing what he could to keep his agents from getting into trouble and the fact that there was no other security video to help in that…

When he had been overseeing the case when it landed in their laps, he had been flagged by SECNAV. Secretary Jarvis had contacted him and talked him into putting Salazar on the job. He was also brought into the fact that there were suspicions and allegations that a government contractor was selling to an arms dealer. They weren’t just sure which. The case with the Leland employee opened the door and one thing led to another until Secretary Jarvis basically ordered reinstatement of Salazar.

Vance had the unfortunate job of convincing Salazar that he was back for good. Looking at it now, he was certain that his agent never bought it. Not after the fact that he discovered the special budget that was hidden in the usual office overhead going back to his predecessor. It was ridiculously small in his opinion, but it was enough to figure out that there was more to the man that was now lying in the hospital.

The phone rang and he picked it up, “Director Vance.”

He listened to the other end with a patient ear though the news he got was just going to make everything go sideways. He glanced at his door and gave his orders, “Alright. Notify Agent Gibbs and make sure that they have what it needed within reason.”

In the meantime, Gibbs headed down to Abby’s lab. He wasn’t ready to face Fornell and the NSA agent. Plus, he wanted to get a little more information in terms of the evidence that had been collected from their victims and the Leland scene. It would help when he had to face Fornell and the NSA agent and it would allow him to come up with something.

He made it down to Abby’s lab to find Fornell was already there with a woman that looked like she was ready to be judge, jury and executioner. That didn’t look good for his old probie. Gibbs glanced at Abby who was looking like she had been resisting giving them anything and he knew what a stubborn person she could be.

“Jethro,” Fornell greeted Gibbs with an extended hand.

Gibbs knew that it was just a stall tactic and a means of apology without saying it in too many words. He shook Fornell’s hand and gave a nod. He looked at the woman expectantly but didn’t say anything. He wasn’t going to offer more than was necessary.

“Agent Olivia Hicks,” the woman offered with a no nonsense tone and a look that said she was out for blood. “This is an NSA matter now…”

“Actually, it is a joint task force,” Fornell pointed out. He looked at Gibbs, “We were just coming to see what you have that relates to the incident at Leland Biotech.”

“It’s pretty clear to me. One of NCIS’s agents is a traitor,” Hicks pointed out. She looked at Gibbs as if daring him to counter what she was saying. “And rest assured that this isn’t the first time he’s committed subterfuge.”

“That’s a lie,” Abby growled out. Her eyes were narrowed and ready to pounce on Hicks.

Gibbs held up his hand to calm Abby while looking at Hicks. “Abby, bring up what you have.” Looking dead on at Hicks he studied her and said, “Ray’s not who you think he is.”

“And I doubt you know either,” Hicks pointed out. “I’m having agents heading down to Bethesda to pick him up.”

“The man was in surgery.”

Hicks gave a look at Gibbs when her phone rang. She glared at the man as she turned to answer it. She wasn’t on the phone long, but it was enough for her to get a nasty look on her face. She hung up and looked at Gibbs while saying, “Fornell, assemble your agents. We have a manhunt on our hands. The prisoner has escaped.”

****

Helplessness was a feeling that Ziva disliked heartily. She was always the type to work, fix things. In Mossad, if there was a problem, you handled it. She learned the same thing working for Gibbs and NCIS. It was just different, and she learned a lot. She also learned a bit from the man that had never been far from her thoughts since the first time they met, and it wasn’t when she joined NCIS.

When he first approached her when she joined as a liaison, she did try to kill him. Her justification was that he had broken into her place. Technically he did, and he didn’t care. Rather he was amused at her attempt to kill him and then he made himself at home. It had her wonder if all US operatives were like him.

She didn’t kill him that time and didn’t the other times he came by. It was almost a sort of game. When things were rough, he was there. He helped the team out in a couple of hard cases. Even when she told him she didn’t want to see him again, he came. He came and rescued her in Somalia. Now when he needed help, her hands were tied.

She, DiNozzo and McGee were basically told to cool their heels and be ready to make their statements. Balboa’s team was investigating the incident at Leland. They could still work the Rawlings and Caldwell case. Unfortunately, they couldn’t go out and follow leads since they were restricted to the office. She was sitting at her desk writing her report and following up on leads that didn’t require her to leave the office.

The upside was that she wasn’t alone. She brought Callisto with her since she had taken possession of the dog while Ray was in the hospital. It probably tipped Gibbs off that she knew Ray more than just meeting that day for the first time. She was lucky he didn’t press, and she could delude herself and assume Gibbs thought the dog took a liking to her.

 Callisto was lying next to her desk, looking bored, but Ziva knew that she was worried. She was concerned that her handler wasn’t there. Ziva felt bad for her and would occasionally reach down to rub her ears, but she didn’t move. Occasionally she would let out a low moan and once she huffed a sigh. It really was a bleak day from the start.

“Ziva.”

Ziva looked up in the direction of McGee just in time to catch the red kong he had been playing with Callisto the other day. She held it and gave a silent thanks to McGee. She shook it to make sure that there were treats in it.

“Seems like you two really have warmed up to the mutt,” DiNozzo commented with a slight smile. It looked painful but more to reflect that he wasn’t sure of whether or not to be angry or worried or something else.

“Cal has specific tastes,” McGee answered, not looking up from what he was doing. His face was a picture of concentration and he still managed to have an idea of what was going on around him.

“And when are you so chummy with a dog?” DiNozzo raised his brow at his friend and fellow agent with a look of suspicion.

McGee didn’t look up but replied, “Cal is like Jethro.”

“So she took a bite out of you.”

McGee looked up with a look that could burn through lead if it were possible. It was enough for DiNozzo to be taken aback as McGee said, “No. She has a sixth sense.”

It was weird to say that, but as if to emphasize that, Callisto lifted her head and looked at DiNozzo while a low growl sounded in her chest. DiNozzo eyed her warily since her gaze was dead fixed on him. It was amusing to Ziva and lightened the mood since she was always up for a moment of getting the upper hand on DiNozzo. She had pity on him and knew that Callisto was only have fun too, and she didn’t overly like DiNozzo much, but if push came to shove, the dog would leap to his defense.

Looking at the kong and then Callisto, Ziva decided to play nice and called, “Callisto. Track.”

Callisto was on her feet and looking at the kong that Ziva held in front of her. She tracked the movement of her toy as Ziva moved it to make sure she was focused before throwing it. She tossed it out of their section of cubicles and watched as the dog moved to chase it. Ziva felt her lip twitch and hoped that Callisto wouldn’t trip anyone in her quest. It was moot when Gibbs walked into the bull pen and then headed up to where Vance was waiting.

Ziva glanced upwards, while pretending to be in thought when Callisto came back with her kong. She looked at the dog and rubbed her ears. She gave the command to drop and took the kong. She held it to get the dog’s attention to throw it again.

“You seem to know a lot about that dog in particular. Almost like you know her handler,” DiNozzo surmised with a narrow look.

“I’ve been around trained dogs. Most things translate,” Ziva offered as she threw the kong in the direction of McGee. It was meant to be funny but they could toss it back and forth to keep Callisto in their section. “And part of it is knowing who the boss is.”

McGee heard the kong drop beside him and continued to work even when Callisto grabbed it, chewed on it and offered it to solicit play. He was working on everything from the case, trying to find anything that would help Ray. He knew that if they got the security footage, it wouldn’t look too good and they were to give their statements. He could tell that his was going to be the most damning since he had followed and went in first.

Callisto made a slight whine and got on her belly to solicit play. McGee didn’t look away as he reached for the kong and with an underhanded toss, sent it towards Ziva. He knew the dog would chase it. He didn’t mind going back and forth since it would entertain the dog and it did distract from the seriousness of the situation that they were in.

Time managed to fly and Ziva managed to get in contact with one of her contacts to see if anyone was in business for a new weapon. Leland was contracted by the government in weapons development so whatever was taken would be placed on the black market. The question was whether or not there was chatter about it. If it was the nanites that had been revealed in McGee’s tinkering around files, then they could be in trouble since that kind of technology would be worth a fortune especially if they could be programmed to do just about anything.

She was in the middle of finishing her report and paperwork when she received a couple of emails. One was about her query and made a note of that so she could inform Gibbs. Her hunch was right, but it would mean that their work was cut out for them, meaning that Ray would be under suspicion for a lot longer than she would like. Knowing that she couldn’t do anything at the moment, she turned her attention to the other email she had received from an old friend at Mossad. It was about something she long had questions about but avoided asking her father Eli about it. It answered a couple of her questions and allowed her to focus on the fact that Gibbs had walked into the bull pen and he wasn’t alone.

It was not good when he was trailed by Fornell and a woman that looked like she did not want to be there. Ziva sensed danger the moment her gaze lit on the woman, like she had an ulterior motive and it was a threat. Even Callisto sensed it and a low rumble sounded from her throat. Ziva covered and rubbed the dog on her head and pulled/rubbed her ears. She eyed the woman as she came to the middle of their section.

It was tense as the three agents looked at their boss and the FBI agent and the strange woman. Fornell tried to ease the tension and said, “Well this is a nice welcome, Jethro.”

Ziva glanced at Gibbs as the man turned to look at Fornell. He didn’t look happy at the situation. She glanced at McGee and then DiNozzo. Both of them were in the same mindset. They didn’t say anything but looked at the group standing in the middle of their section.

The woman was the one who spoke first, “Your fellow agent is in a lot of trouble.”

“Well depends on the definition of trouble,” DiNozzo automatically retorted with a narrow gaze. “Is it like parking in the wrong spot trouble or speeding ticket trouble?”

The woman looked at DiNozzo with a smug espression, “Try aiding and abetting the theft of government property, property of the military, destruction of property… Should I go on?”

There was silence all around. There really wasn’t much to say since it did look like that. Ziva swallowed slightly as she put her hands on her desk. Callisto was by her side and not moving. She was thankful that the dog was well trained to obey commands. It was McGee that spoke, “And you should know that Agent Salazar is an undercover agent. He knows how to play a cover.”

The woman didn’t miss a beat, “And for all you know, he could have been playing all of you. I am aware of his service record for this agency, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he was operating without clear directives and he used it to his advantage.”

“Agent Salazar,” Fornell intervened, trying to keep the peace. “…is a person of interest. Not a suspect.” He looked at the woman with a warning look.

It helped since Ziva was in the mood to tackle the woman and give a piece of her mind. She wouldn’t mind getting into a fist fight either, but that would fuel DiNozzo’s dirty mind and start the innuendos and McGee would probably just back away and not want to be involved. Though in this case, McGee looked ready to lash out. A surprise and yet, not one.

The woman glared at Fornell and retorted, “He is a suspect when we have video footage of him stealing government property.”

“It doesn’t tell the whole picture,” McGee blurted more in anger.

The woman caught on and Ziva thought of the phrase smelling blood as the woman approached McGee and said, “And I suppose you think your statement has weight.”

“It’s evidence like anything else,” Gibbs entered. Like Fornell, he was trying to keep the peace and it wasn’t helping that there were people eavesdropping. “Person of interest, Hicks.”

“A person of interest who is now a suspect or rather a fugitive since he escaped custody at Bethesda.”

Ziva blinked at that news. That changed everything. Part of her wanted to run out there and start looking and the first stop was the hospital. She didn’t though since it would look bad for them. All she could see that this was going to make things difficult.

_Why did you have to run, Neshama?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neshama is a Hebraic term of endearment meaning soul mate or other half. Let's see of Ray knows what it mean.


	4. Chapter 4

_The room was like one of those old family libraries. It gave off the stench of money and respectability. Not that it impressed him. He didn’t care as he sat with a bored expression on his face. There was one reason that he was there and he was looking at her. Only_ she _would call him in the middle of the night. And to keep pressing._

_“Have you thought about my offer?”_

_He looked at her with a bland gaze, “Same as before. No.”_

_“Why?”_

_He had started to stand to leave. He had been taken aback by her question. He had come only to give his answer. Not to give details. “Why what?”_

_“Why are you refusing an opportunity?”_

_He turned to look at her. Her red hair seemed to add more like as she looked at him with a look that spoke of a history of standing up to stubborn men. It seemed that he was going to have a fight on his hands. “It’s not an opportunity. I don’t accept jobs if my employer can’t hold up their end.” He looked at her to invite her to challenge his assessment._

_“It is an opportunity, Commander.”_

_“Oh. Using that title now. Can’t let anyone know that I was once one of your agents.” He waved his hands in a mocking fashion. He sobered and shook his head slightly. “Not going to work… Director.”_

_He turned to leave. He wasn’t going to explain himself to a woman who more than likely deserved her position. There was a reason it was called a gag order. He actually liked living even if he wasn’t acknowledged as existing._

_“I’m giving you the chance to make things right. To fight back on your terms as you have always done, even when you’re dying.”_

_He was taken back to a time when he was literally dying. It was what got him into the position he was in. He could hear the gunfire, the shouts and the panicked voices of his medic and his HVP. He could hear one saying that it was the only way and then there was a pinprick and then…_

_“So? Your decision?”_

_He swallowed, looking at her. She had come to him in one of the many places he owned and sometimes operated out of. In that instance, it was a bar. Not too trendy and not too seedy. It was enough to tell that she didn’t belong exactly. She knew who he was even though he pretended to be just a normal bartender. She came up to him and said that she needed him for a job._

_As if sensing he would refuse, she added, “There are plenty who know the truth and are without the means of proving it. Know that I believe you.”_

_“Not a question of belief,” he replied, “But a matter of whether or not the choice will get me killed and not in the line of duty.”_

_“We all have secrets, Rook,” she said._

_The scenery had changed to his bar. She was leaning on the counter. It was after hours and he had pulled his best whiskey. He had poured them each a glass. Leaning on the counter, he toyed with his glass saying, “Oh I have plenty of those. Funny thing when on the teams. You… can’t really say anything about what you do and that scene comes to mind. You know, deep down in places you don’t about at parties kind of thing.”_

_“Which is why you are perfect for what I want you to do,” she replied as she took a sip of her whiskey. “You are still my agent. You’re paid the salary of one, but I need you to go to places that I can’t get people in legally.”_

_“There’s the kicker,” he said as he threw back his drink. “I’m the one that is the dirty little secret.”_

_“A dirty secret that does more than what anyone will ever know.”_

_“Not helping.” He turned and walked away._

_He ended up in the squad room at NCIS. He was looking around, seeing McGee typing away. DiNozzo was leaning back in his chair on the phone, probably hooking up with a date. Gibbs was doing whatever he was doing. He wheeled and saw her. He swallowed as his gaze traveled on her dark, curly hair and her Middle Eastern features that screamed exotic._

_“Do it if it will save him.”_

_She had said that. He blinked as he started hearing a beeping sound. It was followed by the stench of antiseptic and it forced him to shake his head. He looked up to see her looking at him. He remembered what he said._

_“I need a handler. You’re it.”_

_“Now… I set you free.”_

_“It’s only the beginning, Rook. It will all crash down on you…”_

Ray slowly opened his eyes since the beeping felt loud in his ears. He also wanted to minimize the glare from the hospital fluorescent lights. He knew he was in the hospital because of the smell and he could feel the slight pricking in his hand signaling an IV. Once his eyes were open, he set to roving them around to get a feel for his surroundings.

His body was sore all over but he could also feel the pulsing of pain medication and that he was coming off a sedative. He could recall the reason for that. He vaguely remembered jumping to his feet and was ready to tackle a bunch of nurses and doctors. He sat up and winced from the throb in his lower back and rubbed his forehead.

“Finally. I was tempted to steal something to wake you up.”

Ray looked up to see a familiar face. His featured contorted into anger as he started to move. He was ready to leap out and tackle his visitor despite the fact that he was feeling a dull throb in his lower back which would more than likely rip any stitches he had. He was held back when his visitor held up his hands indicating surrender. He gritted, “So you’re going to finish the job, Warbler?”

Warbler sighed, feeling annoyed and yet relieved that his old friend and CO was his usual charming self. That suspicion kept him alive all these years. “Like I told you, Rook. We need you.”

“Yeah and who’s ‘we’?” Ray gritted his teeth as he properly sat up. He looked to see if there was anyone that would come in.

“Same people that taught you, Rook.” Warbler looked at Ray with his arms crossed over his chest. “Remember what I said at Leland?”

Ray blinked and narrowed his eyes, “Yeah. You want me to help you with this problem. Let me guess, arms deal?”

“What the Company was after since it involved terrorists,” Warbler replied in an offhand manner. He gave a slight gesture like they were having a normal conversation and not a briefing. “However, it is more than that.”

“Really?” Ray couldn’t help the sarcasm. He wasn’t sure whether or not his old teammate was legit or not. Not after what happened, but he understood the score when it came to undercover. You had to have a thick skin and anticipate those feelings of betrayal and feeling disgusted with yourself for the things you had to do.

“Simkins isn’t working alone.”

“Go figure.”

“It’s Syd.”

Ray shot a look at Warbler. He was immediately brought back to a few choice memories. Once stood out completely. It was one where it caught him completely off guard. A mission where she professed her feelings and she kissed him on the mouth. He never responded, but after that, it was awkward between them. He almost had her reassigned, but her skill set he needed. He made it clear that there was no relationship. “Syd?”

“Yeah.”

Ray looked away. He gave a humorless chuckle, “I’m screwed.”

“Yeah you are,” Warbler countered, not mincing words. “Simkins made sure that you would be out of the way by throwing you under the bus. If I’m not mistaken, FBI is on their way to take you into custody. Luckily I managed to arrange a few things so you’re not a packaged deal with the silver bracelets.”

“And how did you pull that off?”

Warbler grinned as he pulled out a badge. “So many agencies here in DC that they all look the same. I seem to remember you doing the same.”

“I have a legit badge.”

“Right. A Navy cop.” Warbler watched in amusement as Ray got out of bed slowly. In all honesty, he was amazed that the man was able to stand and move as well as he did. He read the chart and it was a miracle that he was still pretty whole. Someone was looking out for him.

Ray wasn’t thinking about that as he straightened his frame out. His back throbbed a little but it wasn’t debilitating. He could move and he would have to. If agents were being sent after him, then he needed to get out. He had to find out why two people from his old team were doing this.

The sound of the door opening had Ray stiffen. Warbler didn’t move but watched as a nurse came in holding a set of scrubs and a grey thermal shirt. Ray blinked as she stood in front of him. She seemed nervous as she said, “I know you wanted to be comfortable so I found these for you.”

She placed the scrubs on a gurney. She pulled out a small bag that had Ray’s wallet and a prescription tube of painkillers. She said nothing but turned to look at Warbler and gave a nod before she left the room. Ray looked at his old friend with a puzzled expression.

“You know the drill, boss,” Warbler prompted, “Gotta get you out of here. And you’re gonna do it on your own steam.”

Ray snorted as he pulled out the scrubs. They were dark blue and the grey thermal would give a bit more warmth and help him to blend in. He wasted no time in pulling them on but he had to be deliberate since he didn’t want to rip his stitches. He grunted because he had to stretch a bit and he could feel it in his back. Nothing that a couple of painkillers would help with and he popped two dry.

“Well, you don’t look too bad. You might need these.” Warbler pulled out a fake hospital ID and a stethoscope.

Ray narrowed his eyes as he put them on and checked his shoes. At least the clothes he came in with had been stored under his bed. He reached in and grabbed the bag only to be stopped by Warbler, “Gotta go.”

“Not without this.” Ray reached in and pulled out his dog tags.

Warbler rolled his eyes, “Forgot about that.”

Ray made a face as he took a breath and made his way to the door of his room. He opened it and took a look to get a lay of the land. He looked back at Warbler who said, “See you later, Rook. Don’t forget,” and brushed past him to leave.

Ray waited a couple of minutes before emerging himself and he started walking down the halls. He wasn’t sure if he was going to get away with it since he was sporting a couple of scrapes that spoke of his getting into a fight and probably a bruise or two. Then again, they were similar to injuries earned when rough housing or being extremely competitive in sports… like football.

He didn’t draw attention as he walked through the halls towards the exit. Part of it was that he hid the fact that he was injured, walking as normal as possible and focusing on his goal of getting out of the building. It was his focus that kept him going and moving past the security officer stationed in the ER without drawing attention. He only paused when he heard the waiting room television screen pop up with images of Leland on ZNN.

He paused to listen, hanging back so no one listened. From what he was hearing, things were bad. He couldn’t linger and he kept on moving. He would find a means of getting information one way or another. He mumbled apologies when he bumped into a man in a suit and ambled out of the hospital. He was home free when he managed to catch a cab and was gone before the man, who was actually an agent, realized that he had just bumped into the escaped patient.

****

“You sure you want to be dropped off here?”

Ray looked out the window of the cab he had picked up and stared at the building. It was a long drive and with the throbbing in his lower back, he was tempted to pass out, but he forced himself to stay awake. He was concerned that the cabbie would get a call from his dispatcher since by now they would have realized that he just walked right out of the hospital.

Taking a breath, he nodded, “Yep.”

“That’ll be $34.75.”

Ray pulled out two twenties from his wallet and handed them to the driver. “Keep the change.”

He waited until the cabbie drove off and put the wallet in his scrub pocket. He understood why his wallet hadn’t been with his personal effects. Warbler had it filled with enough case to get him somewhere and in a position where he could get more. Sighing, he turned to look at the dreary building and started up the stairs slowly.

He ignored the sounds that echoed through the hall. He passed by someone in hand me downs that were wrinkled but clean. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment and received one in return as he made his way to the stairwell and started walking up them. He passed by a couple of more people dressed in second hand clothes, but they were alert and acknowledged him and let him pass. It was no big deal and he made it to the door on the third and top floor.

The key was where he had placed it when he set up the place and he used it to get in. It was only when he shut and locked the door that he was able to take a deep breath. He winced and leaned on the door and looked up at the ceiling while trying to process everything that happened since walking up in the hospital.

He remembered waking up in emergency and at the time, he was under the impression that Simkins had taken him and was going to torture him or something. He had been a prisoner before, and it wasn’t a pleasant experience. He only calmed down when he heard Ziva’s voice. She remembered what he told her, and she went with it and he closed his eyes in pain.

Straightening up, he went to the room and to the closet that was stocked with clothes. He picked a few out and went to take a shower, taking care not to wet his stitches. When he dressed, he left off the shirt. It was painful putting on the scrubs and the thermals and Warbler, being the type of guy he was, didn’t help him and Ray wasn’t the type to ask for help or put himself in a position of vulnerability. Except for one person.

Besides, he was alone, and he could walk around shirtless if he wanted to. He felt better for it as he started getting down to business. He walked through the loft to where he had his hidden wall safe. Punching in the code, he retrieved the box that was full of aliases, ones that were not on file along with bank cards, everything. It was for emergencies and this was one.

Picking out an alias, he pulled all the necessary papers and put the box back in the safe and locked it. Going to a desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out a burner still in the package. He opened it and turned it on and checked the settings. He put it in his pants pocket and took the next step. He made a meal.

It was the strangest thing in a situation like this, but Ray learned that when you needed time to fix something, you had to move slow. Even if the impulse was to work fast, you had to go slow. Haste was the fastest way to the grave. Besides, first order of business was survival and that included a meal. Nothing overly fancy, but enough to satisfy his nutritional needs for the moment. It was twenty minutes later that had him with a plate of scrambled eggs and in front of a clean laptop, checking in.

It was a risk, but he had to warn Jo so she was ready for anything that they would come at her with. He had been smart enough to use an alias as CEO and list himself as an underling right under. It would keep the company afloat. Most people thought he was nuts for giving Jo so much autonomy, but he had his reasons. He would laugh if they ever found out. The real treasure was the network that he had set up the last ten years and in preparation for something like this.

He managed to get into the secure chat that he had established. When McGee essentially fan girled at him for being the owner of DigiCom, there was good reason. He may be a frogman, but his area was in computers and technology. He was good at deep dives; he could give those analysts at FBI and local PDs a run for their money. He once hacked into an HVT secure system and used it against their target. He was good, but he always maintained there was someone better.

Right now, he was trying to create a means to listen in on conversations. It would help while he pulled it together to go after Sydney, Simkins and really put DZ to bed. He stared at his screen and his lip twitched slightly when he got the signal that his work bore fruit. He quickly typed in a message and sat back to wait for a response.

_My god, Ray. What the hell did you get yourself into?_

“Right on the dot, Jo,” he muttered as he typed in his response. He made a slight face as he said it, mostly from the dull throb that agitated him and a small part due to the fact he knew Jo as well as he did.

_Your fault for thinking that you could handle it alone._

“No sympathy?” He typed it as he voiced it.

_You know I don’t sympathize with stupid._

Ray sighed and rubbed a hand on his forehead. He buried down old and familiar feelings that he tried hard to move past and closed his eyes. It was some relief to the throbbing in his back and arm where he had been hit. He looked up when he heard a beep.

_You’re not stupid._

“Could have fooled me.”

_What do you need me to do? How soon will I expect a visit at the office?_

Ray gave a slight smile at the response. Jo was one person he could count on after she proved it to him. He gave her a job and they worked well together. She made no demands for anything more when his heart was clearly not interested in a relationship. She was loyal and dedicated to keeping people out of his business and he appreciated her more. She certainly was a lifesaver when he made his queries while enforcing his promises.

He knew that they would be going to NCIS HQ, to his apartment and to the company. They would be looking for him and no doubt be telling people that he was a dangerous man. There was no denying that. The government spent thousands of dollars training him to be what he was. They invested in his education and training and they ended up with someone that could put the best operatives a run for their money.

_I just saw on the news that a criminal escaped custody from Bethesda. That was you, wasn’t it?_

Ray rolled his eyes. “I had help,” he voiced as he type, “An old friend from back in the day.”

_Right._

Ray could almost see Jo roll her eyes at the screen. He wasn’t overly worried about her being caught. He had set it up a long time ago and she was good at covering her tracks. He typed a little more giving his instructions while finishing what he made himself to eat. He was somewhat amused at her scolding him; it was something she did on a daily basis and usually in the form of a phone call.

_Can I expect a phone call?_

_No_ , he typed, _Too hot and I’m not putting you or what’s left of my guys under the scope. They are coming after me, Jo. Not you._

_Then at least contact her. You didn’t come back to let it all go to waste._

Ray had nothing to say about that. He disconnected the link, knowing that she wouldn’t be upset about it. She knew that he was turning away to think. It was all he could do at the moment since he needed at least a day to gather his wits and formulate a plan of attack. It was also a dangerous thing since he knew what happened when he was left alone with his thoughts.

Lounging on the battered couch he placed an arm under his head and stared up at the ceiling to think and try to let his body get some rest. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but comfortable enough since he needed to be off his feet to ease the throbbing in his lower back. It was a small distraction, but not enough from the fact that Jo was right.

_You didn’t come back to let it all go to waste._

Jo was the only one to know the details of his relationship with Ziva. She knew how he felt about her and what he did to make her his ‘handler’ or inside man. She knew about the whole thing with Rivkin and what happened with that. She knew about Somalia and how he left things before going to work with the Los Angeles unit and the fact that he was miserable and continued to self-impose his misery by staying.

She was the one that warned him that Ziva was coming. Being the sucker he could be, he didn’t even try to hide from her. He was polite, said hello and then put her on a plane to head back to DC. She scolded him on that one, but in his defense, he was only respecting what had been asked or rather demanded of him and it hadn’t changed. She still scolded him and said _that_ was what made him stupid.

It was enough to gather courage and call Ziva. That started things and made his remaining tour in LA bearable. When he came back and he and Ziva talked, Jo was the first to know and became the unofficial confidant. She was the one that pushed him into taking the plunge into a relationship beyond asset and handler. So, Jo had the right to say what she said.

Ray knew that he was going to have to get word to Ziva. He trusted her to keep things a secret, but his chief worry was that someone would find out. Someone always did, and that would put her in the crosshairs. He knew Sydney back in the day and while he knew Ziva could handle herself, he couldn’t help but worry. It plagued him with guilt that people he was friends with and people he cared about were being dragged into a mess that he promised and kept his word that he wouldn’t touch ever again. It was those with the clout that had the power to do that and they did.

Sighing, Ray closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep from exhaustion. Waking up to find a ‘supposed’ traitor in your hospital room and said friend helping you to escape the hospital and walking right in front of a federal agent… There was a reason to be exhausted. Besides, he did have some measures on this place.


	5. Chapter 5

Olivia Hicks was good at her job. She was good at her job and most everyone in the agency knew it. She was good and it was the reason why the numerous mistakes with contractors never saw the light of day. She had a knack for making embarrassing situations appear and was why she was called to be on this case. That and she was requested.

Upon hearing who it was that she was to bring in and question before depositing into a black hole somewhere, she was eager and chomping at the bit to get a start. She was determined to get him. For years she had been trying to get the decisions made a decade ago to be reversed or amended, but to no avail. She was stuck. Until this literally fell into her lap.

When she was a rising star, she was like a promoter/publicist. She knew how to spin things to keep those with the money happy and to give more to the various R&D projects that were in theory and experimental stages. Then she was assigned to that one project. The one that changed everything and made life the way it was.

Actually, it started earlier than that concerning the target of her ire. It irked her that for a man who followed the rules like they were his life, he certainly had a way with playing with them and deciding when it benefited him. It was an honest mistake, but no, he took it to the extreme. Put her on ice and then stuck with him for another project. It was hell until it became clear that things were going wrong. Being one to spin things, she managed to make it look like the team was at fault even with the AARs.

The project ended up being scrapped and the team disbanded. The team leader was the one that took the heat. In the end, he was limited in his ability to do anything. He couldn’t work like an agent ever again. Well, that wasn’t exactly true since he had been reactivated and put on the job. And it led to the R&D project that was a trip down memory lane since the theory was sound and the government wanted to invest in it again.

The break in at Leland was unexpected, but since she was on point for that project, she looked into it. She wasn’t surprised to see him again. What she saw in the security footage… it was enough to mount up cooperation with the FBI and head over to NCIS to arrest the man. Of course, injuries sent him to Bethesda, so she sent the agents to secure him there only to find that he escaped.

Now she was heading a manhunt for the fugitive. Right now, she and the NCIS team she had been saddled with were in his apartment, tearing it apart for anything that would definitively nail the coffin shut on him. It wasn’t the team he had been working with. That was a conflict of interest. She didn’t want to work with NCIS, but since they were the ones involved and they wanted inter-agency cooperation. So, she had to deal with it.

Turning, she looked around the apartment. It looked like the typical low income apartment in the area. There was nothing to indicate that the owner was up to no good. Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living area. There was a laptop, but so far there was nothing to indicate that there was anything that would be considered suspicious or criminal. The looks from the agents were saying that. She narrowed her eyes and looked around.

Balboa was used to handling crime scenes as well as other assignments from the director. When things got ugly, he worked with the other teams to secure the premises. When Dearing blew up HQ, he and his team were there providing assistance wherever possible. He was also familiar with Gibbs team and the events that happened the day before.

He didn’t know the agent that had been on undercover, as the rumors went, but as far as he was concerned, he was an agent all the same. Benefit of the doubt was given until hard evidence was given to prove otherwise. He had seen the security footage, but he also had statements from Gibbs and his team.

It was troublesome that the agent in question snuck out of Bethesda after going through surgery for serious injuries. The only reason someone would do that was be that he was either guilty or someone was trying to kill him. Since he was an undercover, Balboa was willing to bet that the agent had someone after him. He didn’t have the details, but he would do what he could.

Balboa was all for cooperation with sister agencies since there were times you needed people that had different resources than you. The woman Hicks from NSA… she rubbed him the wrong way. True she had a fervor that suggested enthusiasm for the job. Yet she sounded like she was going after their agent with a vengeance. Like she didn’t like him for some reason.

The first thing she did after finding out the agent left the hospital was head for his place. His team was searching it now. There was nothing really of significance. As far as he could tell, there was nothing that would indicate that Special Agent Salazar was on the take or into anything like that. The only thing that might give answers would be the laptop. People were creatures of habit in general.

“Make sure the laptop is searched thoroughly,” Hicks said as she watched Balboa’s agent bag and tag it. “And don’t you dare lose it or you lose more than your hide is worth.”

Balboa resisted a growl as he stepped forward. In a low tone, he said, “I don’t appreciate you threatening my team.”

“We have a dangerous fugitive on the loose and I need every single piece of evidence to catch him,” Hicks countered with a narrow look. “And I will not be hindered because of your misplaced loyalty.”

“Innocent until proven guilty,” Balboa countered, not backing down.

Hicks knew that she had come upon someone who wasn’t going to back down easily. Gibbs proved to be the same and she wondered if all NCIS agents were the same. Thinking about it, she should probably be down there, questioning them. She eyed Balboa with a narrow gaze and said in a low tone, “You have no idea who this man is.”

“I know that he’s an NCIS agent involved in a situation and in order to straighten it out we need evidence.” Balboa stared at Hicks. He didn’t like the situation they were in and he was fast losing his temper with this woman. “Now let us do our job collecting and we’ll process it.”

Hicks stared at Balboa. While she was technically in charge, she was well aware that she could be thrown out. It was the director of NCIS’ right to and even if the repercussions were severe… This was like any other project she oversaw. She had to be circumspect about the whole thing and eventually she would get him and clean up this mess once and for all.

Looking at Balboa she nodded, “Fine. Make sure chain of custody is intact.”

“We know how to do our jobs,” Balboa forced out. He kept his expression as neutral as possible, but he knew his team could tell he was beyond upset. He was livid, and he was doing a good job of keeping it together.

Hicks knew not to waste anymore time. She looked at the team that was there. They were looking at the pair of them, trying to see what would happen next. Apparently, they knew their boss quite well and they were curious as to how this would play out. As much as she could make a scene and show her clout, she wasn’t about to play all of her cards and risk closing off an avenue.

Giving a nod to Balboa she turned to leave. She paused and reiterated, “Chain of custody.”

“You will have it once it has been collected and catalogued,” Balboa replied with a hard look. He watched as she left the apartment, pausing only to kick what appeared to be a dog bed out of the way before leaving.

Once she was gone, Balboa rolled his eyes slightly and turned towards his team. They had seen it coming and shifted to go back to what they were doing. He knew that they had been listening to every word that was being said. He wasn’t going to say anything about it since they were going about and doing their jobs. He did say, “Let’s finish up here.”

It didn’t take long, and they had the truck packed with evidence. Balboa didn’t think that there was much taking. The laptop was pretty much the only thing worth taking. They did take a few other things that might prove to be helpful. He didn’t think so, but it was more to prove to Hicks that they were doing their jobs and not playing favorites. He was agitated and wondered how this was going to play out.

In the meantime, Hicks left the apartment. She ignored the old lady that had been watching with a worried expression. She rolled her eyes. Of course, he would make friends with little old ladies. It was how he was able to hide and stay hidden. His charm endeared him to them, and they were willing to do anything, even refuse to believe that he was a criminal. This one was just the same.

Walking to her car, she pulled out her cell phone. She got in while dialing a number. She held it up to her ear and listened to the ringtone. She waited until it picked up and spoke without preamble, “He’s escaped and there is nothing at the apartment.”

_Don’t underestimate him._

“You don’t have to tell me,” Hicks replied as she started the car. She put the hands free set on so she could continue the conversation. “He was a pain in the ass when we met and is a continual one since then.”

_What have you found?_

“Nothing substantial. Nothing but a laptop and NCIS has it,” Hicks grumbled. “I’m heading back there. Someone needs to interrogate his friends. They may know something, and they have the evidence on the Rawlings and Caldwell case.”

_This puts a dent in everything._

“Well you guys really made things difficult. This project was supposed to be dead in the water. Nothing was supposed to survive,” Hicks countered. “I made sure of it and you had to dig it up.”

_Not my fault the government wants to pursue something that was deemed a failure._

Hicks sighed in an annoyed tone. “Look, I have a job and that is making sure that those projects that would curl people’s stomachs never see the light of day in the public view.”

_Which is why, you still have a job, Olivia. Consider this a cleanup job._

“And I’m working on getting the evidence to compromise it.”

_Let me guess: make it look like it was NCIS’ fault. Very original._

“It has worked, but it’s not going to be simple. The team he was saddled with, I’ve heard of their reputation. Gibbs is known for getting his man and some say that he follows his gut than evidence. The team assigned to the apartment… by the book but they don’t tolerate interference.” Hicks made a turn to get on the highway to head to the Navy Yard.

_You should know him. He would have friends in places._

“None on the hill. If you remember, they burned him, and they wouldn’t hesitate to burn us if they found out that the whole robbery was set up for a fall guy.”

_Then you need to find him and take care of it._

“I can only go so far,” Hicks warned. “As much as I know about what the old team did, that wasn’t my purview.” She adjusted the wheel to stay in her lane. She eyed the traffic with an annoyed look. “And I wasn’t one that learned all the ins and outs…”

_You’ve handled black ops before, Olivia. You know how to make things seem more than they appear. You just like making other people do it. You never liked getting your hands dirty._

“If you want to get away clean, you pin it on someone else,” Hicks countered, annoyed that her contact knew more about her than she knew about them. The only thing she did know was that they were in charge of the project that she was overseeing and cleaning up on. There was something familiar about the whole thing, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Always easier to get someone whom no one is going to believe after you burn all their avenues.”

_I know, Hicks. It’s why there are other means of drawing him out. Squeeze the area so tight that he will have no choice but to come out._

“Sounds like you got this. Why do you need me?”

_So you can make the move._

Hicks was going to say something but the other person on the end hung up. She sighed in annoyance and turned off her phone and removed the earpiece. She wanted to catch him and end this, but this… It was convenient and she had done things like that in the past in order to protect government secrets. Each time… She brushed it aside as she pressed on the gas and headed towards NCIS headquarters. She had some questions to ask and those stubborn agents were going to give her answers.

****

McGee looked up to look around. He could see Fornell’s agents around and a couple that were with that woman Hicks. They had wasted no time in practically taking over the situation with Leland. At least they hadn’t barged in on the Rawlings and Caldwell case. Otherwise, he was certain the team would go insane about it. They were already anxious at the fact that Hicks was keeping a tight leash on them.

At least Fornell was on the case. He was trying to make an effort to keep the peace. McGee knew it was matter of time before Gibbs would step up and things would really get out of hand. He glanced over at Ziva and DiNozzo, both working on reports and leads for the one case that they could work on. He then shifted to look down at Callisto who took up residence next to his desk. She was looking up at him with a plaintive look.

He and Ziva had played with her, tossing her kong back and forth. She even cooperated with DiNozzo for a while. It was a testament that things were not so right. It was kind of weird since they all knew, with the exception of Gibbs, Ray for at least a day, but they all liked him and were willing to do what they could to help him. He liked him and not because of the fact he knew coding and computers, but the fact that he was unassuming; he just did what he did and only to help.

Looking back down at the dog, McGee had an idea. They couldn’t stop him since it would be interfering with work… He stood up and gestured, “Come on, Cal. Tati.”

McGee wasn’t fluent in Arabic, but he had listened to Ray and Ziva talk to the dog and made a note of the commands used. She responded to English, but her commands under her handling were in a foreign language. Ray told him it was Dutch and when he got her, he started teaching her other commands in languages he was fluent in.

Callisto got to her feet with a rumble and followed McGee to the elevator. He gave a look at the agents as he said to DiNozzo and Ziva, “Going to check on Abby. See what she has.”

“Please relieve us of the mutt,” DiNozzo muttered.

Callisto gave a growl bark that was more bark than bite. McGee grinned at the look DiNozzo got on his face as he headed towards the elevator and pressed the button. He ignored the fact that one of Hicks’ men followed him on, but it was clear that Callisto didn’t like him and made it know with growl from her chest. McGee noted the uncomfortable look on the agent and said, “Sorry, Cal is particular about the people that are too close to people she works with.”

It encouraged the agent to sift. Callisto gave a rumble but was otherwise content. McGee twitched his lip as he stood there and waited for the elevator to open on Abby’s floor. He regretted not having a Caf-Pow, but that would have produced a delay. He knew though that Abby would perk up seeing the dog. She loved animals and she was the one that saddled him with Jethro, a situation he had been apprehensive about, but he loved the dog and didn’t regret having him. It had him wonder how Ray would like it is dog and Jethro met.

McGee was right when walked into Abby’s lab. She was doing what she was doing best and that was running the evidence. The music wasn’t on loud like usual, but it was playing in the background, so she was able to hear Callisto give a slight bark of greeting. Her face lit up as she kneeled to greet the dog, “Cal!”

McGee stood back and let her play with the dog for a moment until Abby gave her the go ahead to go lay down by her desk. He knew that they were listening, so it was business as usual, “Abby, did you find anything else?”

“Well I haven’t got anything yet from Balboa’s team,” she started as she glanced out the door of her lab. She became uncharacteristically quiet as she asked, “Why are they going after Raymie?”

McGee knew that Abby was close with Ray. It was more like a brother-sister relationship since Ray always teased her in that manner. He could understand her worry. He leaned in and replied, “The security tapes from Leland. He’s dead in sights and he did crack it.”

Abby knew that getting mad at McGee wasn’t going to help and it was unfair. “But there is a reason for it.”

McGee was certain of that too. He nodded, “He was trying to buy time. Save me.”

Abby remembered that McGee was the other one that had been injured. He had been lucky in that he had a couple of bruises and a couple of cracked ribs from the bullet being stopped by the vest he was wearing. “I know. Just like Raymie. And stupidly hiding from us again.”

“You don’t have to be too hard, Abby,” McGee pointed out, “He couldn’t tell us much anyway. Gag order.” He could have added more, but experience with Abby proved that it wasn’t always a good idea. So, he let it sit.

“I know,” Abby pouted. She turned back to her computer. “I’m just worried about Raymie. Being out there and just out of surgery. That’s more crazy than what Gibbs would do.”

McGee nodded in agreement. He still had a hard time believing that the man had just gotten up and walked out of the hospital and no one thought to look twice. He offered, “Must be the undercover thing and whatever else he did for the Navy.” There was something on his mind and he voiced it, “Did you see how he reacted to Ziva?”

“What about it?”

McGee thought about how to voice it without making Abby want to do any of what she would threaten them with if they said or did something stupid. He carefully said, “Well… I get he would listen to Gibbs since he barks out orders.” He looked at Abby with a raised brow, trying not to voice it out.

“Oh I know what you mean. I’ve been wondering about that myself. Ziva said that they had a coffee break and talked.”

McGee wasn’t so sure about that. The way Ziva was behaving hinted that she knew more than what she was letting on. Like she _knew_ Ray and more along the lines of having a relationship. It would answer questions to a few observations he had made over the years since Ziva joined the team. Thinking of the larger picture, he figured that there were things that were kept more for people’s protection and it was in line with Ray’s character. Deciding to steer the conversation towards another topic while he took his place to help with the evidence, he asked, “So… how do you and Salazar know each other?”

Abby smirked at McGee and asked, “Are you jealous?”

“Not really.”

Abby studied McGee and then went to work, “When he was a field agent before Tony joined. Before that, I heard that he and Gibbs had words.”

“And Gibbs let him get away with it?”

“Oh yeah. Story goes that Gibbs almost shot him when he was an undercover. Since then, they’ve been friends. Raymie has Gibbs’ six until the day he dies.”

“And that sounds like Ray,” McGee allowed.

“I know,” Abby smiled cheerfully, “He’s like a big brother to me and treats me like he would his sister… If she were still alive.”

“She’s dead.”

“Car accident.”

McGee nodded and decided not to ask anything more. He was going to stay positive about this and assume that Ray would tell them when he was ready. He knew Abby would tell him anything. She loved Ray and it was in a sisterly fashion. It was that evident and McGee had no worries about that. His own feelings regarding Abby were a bit mixed. Changing directions, he asked, “Did you manage to find anything else from what I was looking at?”

“You mean when you left in the middle after you realized that Raymie wasn’t taking a bathroom break?” Abby couldn’t resist teasing McGee. It helped to ease the tension that was throughout the whole building. Besides, it impressed her how McGee took charge on that one, leaving and telling her what to do while he went after their friend. McGee had grown a lot since joining.

“Yes,” McGee replied with a slight eye roll but didn’t mean it.

Abby took on the challenge with her usual smirk and went to her computer to bring up what she had been working on. “You know those pockets of data? Well they were pieces of a file. There still quite a bit missing so I’d thought I’d run them through the software Raymie brought over.”

McGee looked at the screens. He recognized documents that looked like mission templates. Having been a Navy brat, he had been exposed to a lot of that sort of thing because of his father. He never saw actual documents but he knew enough to understand and later when he went through FLECT he delved a little bit more. “This makes it look like Caldwell was in on it. See, these are blueprints of Leland.”

“That’s what I was thinking too, but what about the fact that he sent them to Rawlings? Plus it seemed that Caldwell wanted to hide them from everybody but Rawlings,” Abby pointed out.

McGee couldn’t argue that. It was clear that Caldwell and Rawlings were in communication with each other. They did openly state about trials, information consistent with what they were doing at Leland, but McGee noted that in some of the more private emails that was where the data was embedded. At least pattern wise. He figured that they were keeping it careful by putting the information in emails that people would least suspect and for the most part, that sort of thinking worked. “True,” he allowed, “But this looks like a mission template, but this…” He brought up something that caught his eye, “This doesn’t fit at all.”

It was part of a document. It was a good cache of data but there were too many holes to piece together what it was. McGee had an idea, “You think that software can focus on the tags for this?”

Abby looked at the screen and then grinned like the cat that caught the canary, “I like how you think McGee.” She turned and started entering the command codes. “We’ll figure this out.”

McGee didn’t agree but he was hoping that would be the case. He turned his attention to helping out with that while Abby worked on other evidence pending. He secretly hoped that her belief in the power of science would help their friend get out of the trouble he was in.


	6. Chapter 6

It was late and Gibbs was where he always was. He was in his basement and working on his boat. It was what he did when he had something on his mind or it was a particularly rough day. Rough was hardly to describe it considering that he and his team were being investigated because his old probie decided to walk out of the hospital and decide to become a wanted fugitive, making him deal with Tobias Fornell and that NSA agent Olivia Hicks.

It was bearable in that Fornell was on the case. Hicks was the wild card. Call it his famous gut kicking in, but Gibbs was suspicious of Hicks from the start. She was too zealous in going after Ray. That told him that they had a history and more than likely it was tied to whatever caused his old friend to be in the state that he was in now.

It was all too complicated, and Gibbs didn’t like complications overmuch. He emptied one of his jars filled with nuts and bolts and pulled out the bottle of whiskey that he kept down there. He was in the middle of pouring when he straightened out and said, “For a wanted man, you sure like to take risks.”

“Part of being a SEAL, Gibbs.”

Ray took a few steps to become visible to Gibbs. He slowly sat on the steps more for relief from the throbbing that started up. He hid it as best as he could as he looked at Gibbs. He gave a lopsided smile and shrugged his shoulders. It had taken some time, but he managed to make it to where Gibbs lived and then hide out until he could make a move.

Gibbs gave a slight smile at his response and emptied a jar and poured whiskey into it. He walked over and handed it to him. “Doesn’t mean that it’s smart, Skipper.”

Ray accepted the glass and raised it in a mock toast. “Nothing I every did for you was never smart, Gunny.” He took a sip and savored the numbing effect of the alcohol. He made a sound, “Always had the good stuff.”

Gibbs took a sip of his whiskey and watched his friend. He didn’t fail to notice how the man was trying hard not to appear weak. He studied him and asked, “How did you get in?”

“Came by while you were at work.”

“And where did you hide out?”

“In your house.”

Gibbs snorted at that. “And how did I not see you?”

“I know you, Gibbs,” Ray looked up with a lopsided grin. “You leave the door unlocked and you don’t really go through the whole house.” He sobered slightly as he held the glass in his hands between his knees. “Too many memories, and I don’t blame you. And I know how to hide.”

“Figured you would, considering you walked right past the NSA agents that came to get you,” Gibbs replied.

Ray chuckled at that as he took another sip of his whiskey. “That’s what I get for accepting the training when I was tapped from JSOC. Forget the fact that my brains were more valuable.”

“They were. You were a team leader.”

Ray snorted, “Yeah. Now everyone is paying the price. Even after I agreed and kept the agreement of the gag order.” He looked forward and stared at nothing in particular.

Gibbs stared for a moment then turned to go back to working on his boat. Setting his glass down, he picked up the sander and started working on it. He glanced over to see his friend still sitting where he put himself. He knew that if and when he wanted to talk, he would. It was just when they felt ready to do it.

“Sorry about the trouble, Gibbs.”

“You know how I feel about apologies.”

Ray chuckled, “Right. Rule 6.” He took a sip of his whiskey. “Still, I have to apologize. I didn’t want this.”

“I’m sorry too.”

Ray looked at Gibbs with a raised brow, “You?”

“That I didn’t read between the lines.”

Ray looked down and shook his head. He stood up and took a few steps towards Gibbs. “Not yours to read, but I never doubt you.” He sighed and looked at the boat and his lip twitched. “Still haven’t figured out how you’re gonna get this thing out when she’s done.” He gestured at the boat.

Gibbs glanced at it and replied, “I have my ways.”

“I know. Same as me.”

Gibbs turned to look at Ray. He saw the intense look on his face. They had always been able to understand each other on the level they needed to. They both had a past, secret and ways of doing things. Sometimes it touched on those fine lines, but always in the interest of justice. One of them just ended up being left behind in the dark to the point that he might as well not exist.

Ray looked at Gibbs and gave a soft sigh and shrugged, “From this point on, I’m dark, Gibbs. If I reach out, it will only be to warn you. I won’t ask you for help. Nothing like that.”

Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he took a step towards Ray. “You got a problem, you ask for help. Got it?”

Ray shook his head, “No, sir.” He deliberately replied like he would a CO because he knew that Gibbs would understand that while he wanted to, he was putting up the front. He made a slight face and added with a knowing grin, “To do such would be to invite someone into an act that could be construed as criminal. If caught.”

Gibbs couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “How could I forget that you can talk like a lawyer?”

“If you wanna go against the thing you dislike the most, you gotta go in knowing a few things,” Ray countered. He finished his glass and held it while looking at Gibbs’ boat. He sighed as he rotated the glass in his fingers. “As much as I want to tell you everything, Gibbs… I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t,” Gibbs replied, repeating an earlier conversation. He looked at Ray with that pointed look he gave his other agents when they were reluctant to tell the truth.

Ray was familiar with that look. He had been on the receiving end of it and had given his own version of it to his team. He looked at Gibbs and replied, “Both. Gibbs… I came here to let you know that I’m still alive and kicking.”

“Yeah and you got FBI and NSA on your ass.”

“Figures. I’m surprised CIA hasn’t tried to take a slice considering the work I did,” Ray muttered with a wry chuckle. He looked back at Gibbs and added, “I know it looks bad. I’m on security aiding and abetting the theft of government property.”

“Yeah you are.” Gibbs gave a slight nod, showing his annoyance. “And they are looking to burn you.”

Ray made a slight grin as he huffed. “Nothing I wouldn’t expect them to do.” His grin turned into a passive smile. He sighed again and said, “There is a reason I can’t tell you everything. The gag order is one…”

“And you were cleared to speak.”

“Feeling of fear is still there.” Ray offered a smile as he shifted on his feet. He sobered quickly as he held the glass in his hands. “We’ve done it before to get compliance. What better way to get people to go against their nature than to threaten what means the most?” He shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the man staring at him.

“This is nothing like that.”

“It is… Gibbs,” Ray replied as he held up his hand to stop him. “Nature of spec ops and why there is redaction as long as the Navy Yard.”

Gibbs was going to retort, but he paused. He watched his old friend as he observed all around him, his gaze never wandering far from him. He thought about how things were going down and the actions since his friend’s escape from the hospital. “You know who’s behind it.”

Ray turned to look Gibbs head on. He didn’t blink but studied the man before saying, “I know that whatever happened to Rawlings and Caldwell was a result of them finding out the truth behind their R&D project of the nanites. It is the next stage in warfare and worth a lot of money on the black market.”

“So, we’re looking for an arms dealer.”

Ray looked at Gibbs, “Government property, a weapon was stolen. One that… if the specs are right… is designed to enhance human abilities. Imagine that getting into one of our enemies’ hands.”

Gibbs didn’t need to imagine that. “Alright, Skipper. We’ll look at that. What are you going to do?”

Ray gave a smirk that told Gibbs that it was going to be something that he was probably better off not knowing. Ray replied, “Nothing that would benefit NCIS.”

Gibbs rolled his eyes slightly as he turned to put his glass down. When he turned back it was to find that Ray had gone, his glass on the counter. Gibbs shook his head, having not even heard movement on the steps. He turned to pour another glass of whiskey while muttering, “You better watch yourself, Skipper. Be careful.”

Ray walked through the street to where his mode of transport was. It had been a risk to go to Gibbs’ place. If they followed protocol, they would have put agents to tail and watch. He had been right when Gibbs arrived home. He almost wanted to scoff since he recognized the surveillance detail. Knowing Gibbs, the man would have just gone about his business and that was what he had been counting on. Gibbs was one of the more predictable with certain habits.

Ray knew that Gibbs didn’t really wander through his house and had a habit of leaving the door unlocked. He used that to his advantage and hid until Gibbs went down to work in his basement. He did make use of the time to scout and observe the surveillance detail that had been assigned. It added one more obstacle to what he knew he had to do, but he would work with it.

He didn’t tell Gibbs everything but gave enough to keep them busy. Ray knew that there was more to what was going on. The arms dealer angle was a viable one since it was valuable tech. The other part… It had to do with Sydney and what he knew about her. That and with the FBI and NSA looking for him, he was going to have a tough time staying low.

It wasn’t impossible. Just difficult. One of the main things that he learned courtesy of the CIA was how to hide in plain sight. Part of the ops SEALs did involve them going in under a cover to scout intel. That meant hiding in plain sight. CIA took it a step further and did the whole fake ID and aliases training. He put those to good use and had a few clean ones that no one else knew about. They would be the only thing standing between him and being caught.

Making it to his bike where he had hidden it, he straddled it and picked up the helmet and put it on. He took one last look around to make sure that he wasn’t going to be too obvious. Seeing nothing, he started the engine and turned the bike away from Gibbs’ home. He went in no particular direction except with the goal to make sure he wasn’t followed. He needed to think about his next move and the means to execute it in the morning.

****

Ziva glanced in her rearview mirror. She spotted the tail the moment she left the Yard. It was tempting to lose them and see what they would do, but she wasn’t going to tempt fate as the expression went. She was well aware that the team was being closely looked at and to do anything that would appear suspicious would draw fire. She didn’t like it and it took a lot of restraint to not react like she would like to do.

She didn’t want to go home, but she didn’t want to have her detail reporting in something suspicious. Even Gibbs told them all that it was business as usual, even though it was clear that he didn’t want to be cooperative either. They all agreed to it reluctantly, even Abby, and she called the woman Hicks a devil woman. It wasn’t original, but it made Ziva feel better at the whole situation and eased the worry she had been holding all day.

A whine caught her attention and she looked at Callisto. She smiled and rubbed her hand on her ears. It was a no brainer that the dog went with her. It made her suspicious to Gibbs about the nature of her relationship with Ray. He already was suspicious that they knew each other longer than what was at face value. He accepted her explanations for now, but she was certain she was going to be hit with one of his rules.

Pulling up to her apartment complex, she sighed as she looked behind her to notice her tail had pulled over. She looked at the dog and said, “I suppose we can’t surprise them, can we?”

Callisto gave a slight whine and a rumble from her chest. Ziva sighed as she got out of the car. She went over to the passenger side to let the dog out. She glanced down the street and turned to head into her building. She paused when she saw a motorcycle parked nearby and frowned, wondering if there was a new tenant in the building.

Callisto gave a slight bark and Ziva turned her attention to the dog. She clipped the lead to her collar and started entering the building. She was lucky that her building allowed for dogs, though she suspected that Ray knew that when he got the dog. He always had a way of seeing through obstacles and was able to offer insight one the cases she worked on. He understood and it became clear as time went on how much she felt about him. It made her wish that she could just be at his apartment.

Sighing, she made her way to her door and fished out her keys. She heard Callisto make a low moan in her chest but didn’t think anything of it. Once the door was open, she unclipped the lead and Callisto trotted in, her nails clicking on the floor. Ziva let herself in and hung up her coat and putting her gun in its usual spot. It was routine for her, with her thoughts on that day.

She didn’t notice Callisto had been calm like she would be when she would visit Ray’s apartment since her mind was occupied on her thoughts on how they were going to solve this case and figure out a way to clear Ray’s name. It occupied her as she went to her room to get ready for bed. She barely had the door closed and when she turned on the light, she let out a yelp.

“I see I can still get the upper hand on you.”

Ziva took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. She hissed, “I’m going to kill you and I won’t be sorry about it.”

“You’ve been saying that to me since the day we’ve met,” Ray replied from the chair he had been seated in since he arrived. He was playing with the knife he had and finishing eating the apple he had raided from her pantry. “You haven’t followed through, yet, Ziv.”

Ziva sighed as she walked to her closet to grab her sleeping clothes. She stood behind the closet door and replied, “Doesn’t mean that I won’t.”

She had barely pulled her top on when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, followed by, “And I’m still waiting for you to try.” A gentle breath tickled the sensitive spot behind her ear followed by a gentle kiss.

Ziva closed her eyes, liking the feeling, but she had to put things into perspective. She turned around to look at him and was shocked by what she was seeing. He looked a little wane and flushed. There were slightly dark circles under his eyes, hiding what probably pain he was in. She reached up to feel his face and was surprised at the warmth she was getting. Her eyes widened as she spoke, “I don’t think I have to do anything with the way you’re looking now. You should be in the hospital.”

“And be cuffed and watched by FBI and NSA? No thank you.” Ray turned away to give her space. He took a few steps and put his hands on his hips.

“Ray, they are looking for you.”

“And they won’t find me.”

“That is presumptuous. Even for you.” Ziva marched up until she was facing his back. She put a hand on his side and tugged to turn him to face her. She held onto his jacket hem to prevent him from moving. “They are out for blood.”

“Which is exactly what they want.” Ray put his hands on her shoulders. He looked down at her and blinked slowly. “Ziv, there is more to this. Going after me is the smokescreen for something else. And it is tied to events that led to when we first met.”

Ziva paused as she looked up at him. Her eyes studied him as her hands went up to wrap around his biceps. “Then you have to turn yourself in. Make it right.”

“I can’t, Ziv.”

“What do you mean by that?” Ziva wasn’t one to wear her emotions on her sleeve, but when it came to Ray… that was something that few people were ever allowed to see.

Ray saw the expression in her eyes and he knew how worried she was over this. He thought about what to say to help her understand even though he knew she was going to be upset with him. Sighing, he moved his right to cup the back of her head and trace her jawline with his thumb. The other he lowered, almost like he was resigned to something he was reluctant to do. “The CIA asked for my help and the only reason is because I am expendable. If something goes wrong, no one gets the blame.”

“Except maybe you.” Ziva sighed as she gripped his biceps. She began massaging them, feeling his muscles respond to her ministrations. She looked downward, “I know it looks bad. They have you on camera compromising security…”

“Aiding and abetting theft of government property,” Ray finished with a slight smile. “I’m well aware of it.”

Ziva felt the urge to press for more, but years of working with him taught her that she wasn’t always going to get full answers. He wasn’t that he was cruel about it; it was about protecting what he cared about. “You can’t say more can you?”

“Ziv…” Ray pursed his lips as he sought the words he wanted to say. “You know most if not all about DZ. You saved me and my team.” He slid his arms downward to capture her hands in his. He ran his thumbs along her knuckles. “This… is related to that. The arms deal is a sure thing… but I sense… I know that there is more to it since it involves members of my old team.”

“Simkins. I know and… I remember.”

“He’s the guy following orders,” Ray replied shaking his head slightly. “Someone else is in charge. Someone I know from then. You remember Sydney?”

Ziva snorted and nodded, “I remember her, but she’s not the kind to take charge.”

“Maybe not,” Ray nodded in acknowledgement, “But she always was shrewd and intelligence. High up maybe.”

“And that’s why you are running around as a fugitive,” Ziva finished with a nod. She backed up and turned away, trying not to be angry about the whole thing. “And in turn… agencies we’re supposed to work with are watching all of us.”

Ray straightened up and put his hands in his pockets. He had tried not to react when she pulled away from him. He couldn’t keep it hidden though and was glad she wasn’t looking at him right now as he replied, “And it’s all my fault. I know that. Much like everything involving me is. I get it. One decision and everything bad is on me. Nothing’s changed.”

Ziva turn to see him leave and started to follow, “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere you need to know.” Ray walked towards the door and paused to give Callisto an ear rub.

“I am being watched.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“If they see you…”

“Isn’t that what you want?” Ray turned to meet Ziva face on. He watched as she paused, feeling his jaw quiver more from hurt than anger. Taking a breath, he ran a hand through his hair and softened his tone, “I’m sorry. I just… wanted to tell you what’s going on. And to let you know that I’m okay.” He watched her head lower as she stared at the ground. Swallowing, he added softly and full of tenderness, “And I wanted to see you.”

Ziva looked up and stared at him. She knew he was telling the truth. He may lie as part of a cover, but when it came to personal and serious, he never lied. Hearing his last words had her swallow and made her feel just like she did when he revealed his feelings to her and she knew that it took a lot of effort for him to say it, especially after Rivkin.

Ray studied her and shifted on his feet, “I’ll go now. Plausible deniability. I’m gonna try to keep you out of what I’m doing.” He cleared his throat and turned to leave.

“Don’t go.”

Ray held onto the knob and blinked a couple of times before replying, “I should go.”

“And I want you to stay.”

Ray let out the breath he had been holding and turned to look at her. He straightened out and stared at her. She was looking at him, her emotions completely out in the open. He knew she never let people in completely. Just enough to show that she was human, but the team didn’t know how much the cases they worked on over the years affected her. They didn’t know she poured her heart out to him because he gave her the reasoning that he was a third party with no judgments. It was stupid, but it was his excuse to be near her.

Ziva stared at Ray and saw the conflict in his eyes. He wanted to stay, but his logic and reasoning were telling him that it wasn’t a good idea. She took the plunge and reached out and grabbed his hand. Her fingers wrapped around his hand and she squeezed it. “Please.”

Ray looked down at their hands and a slight smile formed. It was a bad idea since the risk of being caught was high, but… Nodding, he reached with his other hand and placed it over their joined hands and stepped closer. He bent and gave a gentle kiss on her cheek. He was going to give another to the other cheek when she turned, and it was planted on her lips. He blinked in surprise.

Ziva was well aware that she caught him off guard and smirked as she kissed him on the lips. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair until she pulled back. She smirked at him and said, “I told you, I’d kill you.”

Ray narrowed his eyes playfully at her and teased, “Well played, but I’m not dead… not yet.”

Ziva growled and turned to head to her room, pulling on his arm. “Then I am finishing it.”

Ray chuckled, enjoying that she was ruffled. He always teased her enough to get her mad. In a way, it helped when she was on a case and to see things from another perspective. In another… Following her into the room, he said, “I said it was well played, Ziv.”

“I know.”


	7. Chapter 7

The beeping alerted Danny and he jerked awake. He moaned as he tried to stretch out the kink in his neck. He sat up stiffly in the chair that he had made his semi-permanent residence since he brought the data stream to the lab. He had been stuck in the lab for the last day and his mentor said it was going to be a long term thing and he accepted.

Stretching in his chair, he let out a yawn and leaned forward. Tapping on a few keys, he brought up the feed and unceremoniously blinked as he leaned forward. He wished for a cup of coffee but was too lazy to go the maker and put on a fresh pot. He was torn because he felt like he was dying from a caffeine deficiency when a beeping sound from the feed caught his attention.

Leaning forward, Danny read the readings and his eyes widened. He then made a face and sat back, “Oh, please, no.” He slumped back in his chair and gestured exasperated at the screen, “You really had to pick up nocturnal activities?”

The door to the lab had opened as he said that and a familiar voice said, “Nocturnal activities?”

Danny stuttered as he tried to get to his feet. He ended up falling to the ground, scattering papers everywhere. He was on his hands and knees and trying to get the papers into some sort of order. He looked up to see Gibson walking in carrying two cups of coffee. “Uh… what?”

Gibson walked in and set the coffee on a nearby table to get his hands into his briefcase. He replied, “Nocturnal activities. What are you referring to?”

Danny blinked. He was really asking about this? Then again, the man was a little kooky, but well loved by the faculty and student body. He got to his feet and put the papers back on the desk. “Uh… you know,” he said, not wanting to get into it.

Gibson walked over to look at the readings and grinned, “So they really do track that kind of reading.” He shook his head in amusement.

“And that is something I didn’t want to see,” Danny gestured like he was in pain. He sat on the edge of the table and reached for one of the cups of coffee. “So, Doc… why are we keeping and tracking a live data stream of biometric readings of someone we’ve never met?”

Gibson started tapping the keys to check the readings. “Oh, you’ve never met him. I have. Long, long time ago.”

Danny took a sip of his coffee as he studied his mentor. He knew that Gibson had once been part of a biotech firm that had been contracted to work for the government. Details were mum on that. He still was curious as to why his mentor was streaming feed that was from something that was nearly a decade old. “Then why this decade old experiment?”

Gibson studied the feeds. He didn’t answer right away as he thought about what he had been doing the past decade. It was something he felt he owed since he played a part in the events that led to what they were today. He had wanted to come forth for so long, but he couldn’t. So, he made do through monitoring and contacting people he needed.

He had recruited Danny Chen because he was brilliant in computer science and technology. He needed a system to keep up with the activity and to keep it secret. He could no longer keep it a secret with what he had. Danny built the system and from the looks of things, his predictions were more than what he projected when he was first contracted on this project. That and the test subject had already shown potential…

“Boss?”

Gibson looked up and saw Danny looking at him. The kid had done the best work he had seen. He made sure that his professors were apprised of his obligations and he was financially compensated as a research assistant. He replied, “The official trial was suspended but the persons involved are still being affected.”

“What? You couldn’t just… stop treatment?” Danny shrugged, trying to make sense of it.

“It’s not that simple,” Gibson replied. It really wasn’t. How could he explain that the technology that was revolutionary back then was so embedded that it couldn’t be removed? How could he explain that a decision made to save a life would drastically affect that life to the point that he might as well not exist?

“Since when is anything simple when it concerns biotech?” Danny took a sip of his coffee. He noticed the look he was getting from Gibson and added, “Biotech is a revolutionary field now with all the advances in tech. Applying it in a more practical aspect… still don’t know a lot about things like nerve ending functions and all that.”

“Since when did you become an authority on biotech advances?” Gibson had to ask since he had never heard Danny express his interest before.

Danny shrugged, “Been reading a few journals. More about helping our veteran amputees. Answered a few things when I first was tapped for this.” He took another sip of his coffee. “To be honest, I am a little confused about recording readings.”

Gibson straightened up in his seat. He swiveled in his chair. He debated on what to say. The only reason that he had hidden it for so long was because he kept it a secret. To tell the truth, he knew that if he shared, it would put people in the crosshairs.

Danny knew that he was asking for something that Gibson was not willing to share. He suspected that there were things about this that were not exactly legal. He crossed his arms over his chest and adjusted his seat. “I get it, Boss. If it’s one of those things that IRB…”

“It’s not that, Danny,” Gibson replied with a slight shake of his head. He sighed and leaned back in his seat. “It’s more of the end of something that technically doesn’t exist.” He leaned back and looked at the window, lost in thought. “Something that ended with someone paying a hefty price.”

“Oh. Your government work. Say no more.” Danny finished his coffee. He stood up and tossed his cup. “So, I managed to button down so all the data is encrypted. Extra level of security that I added to the original.”

“That’s good.” Gibson glanced at the readings. He knew that there were things were precarious. They were alarming since he picked up the signs of infection. He pressed his fingertips together in thought. He mused, “Danny… how willing are you to see this through, if I told you the reason behind this?”

Danny came out of the bathroom, drying his hands. He looked at Gibson sitting and staring at nothing in particular, deep in thought. While he was the kind of person that liked to be a rebel every now and then, he sensed that there was more to the question than face value. His instincts were saying that there was danger attached to it, but his intellectual curiosity was getting the better of him. He made a gesture as he went to check on a few other things, “You brought me in, Boss. If you want to keep me as IT that’s cool, but… I am curious.”

Gibson shifted and looked at Danny. One of the reasons why he recruited him was that he was curious about testing boundaries. He could think outside the box. “Do you want to know?”

Danny weighed the options in his mind. He figured that if this wasn’t kept under wraps, it would have been disastrous. He wanted to know. He nodded, “Yeah. I wanna know why I am looking and encrypting data on tech that is, as far as I know, not supposed to be in existence.”

Gibson stared for a little more before turning to face Danny. He could see the seriousness in his expression. From what he heard on the news, it seemed that things were going to get a lot more complicated. It also offered a reason for the readings that he had been looking at and getting him baffled. He looked up at his assistant and pressed his fingertips together and nodded, “Alright. This will change plans, but… alright.”

Danny looked around and pulled a chair up to sit across from Gibson. He leaned forward and leaned his forearms. “Tell me, Boss. I’m all ears.”

****

Gibbs walked into the building with the same gait he always did. He had to considering that he was being followed by NSA agents, no doubt trying to see if his old friend would make contact. He got a certain satisfaction at the fact that his old friend did make contact and they didn’t even see it. There was a slight thrill about it, but he was also concerned. The obvious was the fact was standing next to him waiting for the elevator.

Gibbs gave no acknowledgement of Hicks, but it was clear that she was not going down without a fight. He was going to ignore her unless she spoke to him. It was fortunate that Fornell chose that moment to join them. He shared a speaking glance as the elevator dinged to signal its arrival. It was going to be a long ride up and he wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Seems like we’re on a tough one,” Fornell said as he stood there with his cup of coffee.

Gibbs tried not to smirk, but he couldn’t help it. At least Hicks wasn’t looking. Neither of them liked the woman overmuch and were tolerating as best as they could. He replied, “Not really. We know who did it. We have suspects in custody and evidence…”

“And the rogue agent?”

Gibbs and Fornell regarded Hicks with shared looks. The woman was facing the doors, not looking at them, but they were minimal to avoid anything that could get unpleasant. Fornell didn’t know the specifics of the agent in question, but he trusted Gibbs’ opinion and assessment. He usually was never wrong. He didn’t think that things were as clear cut as the security footage made it seem.

Gibbs was tempted to be snappish, but he decided it wasn’t going to send the right message. He replied, “He’s not rogue, Hicks.”

“Aiding and abetting the theft of government property, property of the military and escape from custody from a hospital? Sounds like textbook definition to me,” Hicks countered. She turned to look at the steel gaze in Gibbs’ eyes. Her dark skin and tightly knotted hair gave the impression that she was not out to make friends and it was clear that she was out for blood. “Not to mention that he was one of the ones responsible for the recovery of the initial technology.”

“No denying he was a part of the op,” Gibbs replied. He gave a slight shake of his head, “And he’s not said a word. Gag order.”

“Then what are you denying?”

Fornell wished he could make himself disappear. They weren’t even conducting a ‘meeting’ and it was already getting bloody as Gibbs countered, “I’m denying the assumption that he is rogue. Agent Salazar has done nothing but aid us in our investigation into the deaths of Corporal Rawlings and Lt. Caldwell.”

“And the fact that he has been on NCIS payroll but not an actual agent for the past ten years doesn’t put him in favorable light,” Hicks countered as her eyes narrowed as she looked at Gibbs.

“He’s not a rogue, Hicks,” Gibbs replied in a knowing tone. He observed Hicks’ reaction and had noticed her reaction to the mention of Caldwell’s name. It was something to think about since he had suspicions that their dead bodies and the timing of things, plus a few things McGee uncovered… He was suspicious that one of the bodies, namely Caldwell, had the same amount of knowledge as his old friend.

“And I say he is,” Hicks replied. “For all you know, he was playing everyone.”

“He wouldn’t do that…”

“I am well aware of his service record and his supposed service to your agency,” Hicks interrupted.

“Then you know that he wouldn’t turn against his country.” Gibbs shifted to face the door. They were almost to the floor and he was thinking about how to move forward without provoking suspicions from Hicks.

Fornell cleared his throat, “And we are here as a courtesy Gibbs. We were tasked with bringing in Agent Ray Salazar for questioning.” He shot a warning look at Hicks. He didn’t like the woman much either, but he was much more adept at playing nice.

“And it is my job to make sure he hasn’t compromised anything related to the contract at Leland Biotechnics,” Hicks countered. She stared at both men as she continued, “I have been instructed to use any means necessary. We are to assume that he is armed and dangerous.” She dared them to challenge that.

“And you’re barking up the wrong tree,” Gibbs countered, aware that he was putting himself in a position that was bad. “The only thing that makes Salazar dangerous is pointing the business end at one of my people.”

“Again, I am aware of his service,” Hicks repeated, gritting her teeth. “Nothing is a secret. He is dangerous.”

Fornell held up his hand, trying to be the peacekeeper, “Agent Salazar is considered a risk, not dangerous. For all we know, he figured out that there was more to it, that he’d be blamed and now is trying to clear his name.”

“Then why run?” Hicks turned a pointed gaze to Fornell. “Why run when he could have stayed at Bethesda and be allowed to clear his name?”

There was silence for a moment. Gibbs glanced over at Fornell and then back at Hicks. It was a gamble and it wasn’t proven but… “He’s being watched. Same people pulling this off are watching him and if he missteps they’ll come after us.”

“A little farfetched, Agent Gibbs,” Hicks chuckled, her tone full of mirth. “Sounds like something out of a spy novel or movie.”

“And you claim to know him, and you would know what he would do,” Gibbs pointed out, resisting the urge to shout.

“Is this where you tell me about your famous gut, Agent Gibbs?” Hicks looked up into the steely gaze of Gibbs with one of her own. “Are you going to tell me that he deliberately let millions of dollars of warfare technology walk out and he’s trailing them to get it back?”

“Yes.” Gibbs didn’t hesitate. A lot of it was speculation, but he knew his friend. He was no traitor. And that was not the impression he got when he saw his friend in his basement. “And probably find whoever is behind it.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Hicks turned around to face the elevator doors. They opened as she added, “And you are well aware that assisting a wanted fugitive will result in prosecution of you and your team. Do you understand?” She turned to look at him head on before turning to walk into the bullpen.

Gibbs would have responded when his phone rang. He glanced at Fornell and the man raised his brows at the ringing. Gibbs looked at Fornell as he answered it, “Yeah?”

Hicks had turned when the phone rang. She watched as Gibbs answered. It was a surprise when the man smirked. She didn’t like him when they first met. She couldn’t stand the fact that there didn’t seem to be much that caused a reaction. He didn’t react unless he was severely driven to it. He was also unpredictable, which was why she was surprised when he smirked at her. She watched as he lowered his phone and pushed the speaker button saying, “You’re on.”

_I see I’ve picked up attention in the alphabet soup._

Hicks’ eyes widened once she realized who was on the line. She blurted, “Salazar.”

_Hello Olivia. Long time, no see. Figures that they would send you._

“Salazar,” Hicks began, “You need to surrender now, or this could go very bad for you and your colleagues.”

_Threatening agents doing their jobs… not a very good idea. After all, you and I both know that DZ is still functioning. Hard part was breaking and entering, and we all know where that went. Second part was the escape… and making a good show of it._

Gibbs could almost see the smirk on his friend’s face as he listened. He figured that there was more to the conversation and made note of what was being said. The most obvious was the fact that Hicks and Ray knew each other from way back. Her response was the tell.

Hicks huffed, trying not to lose it, “And how do we know that you’re not in on it? That you’re not biding your time until the highest bidder came along?”

_Oh Olivia, you’re the top cleaner for the Pentagon. Not bad for NSA. You know me. You personally vetted me and my team. I can see this would be a means to… clean up a mess._

“More like a mistake,” Hicks retorted, falling back into the old routine from when they used to interact. She corrected and added, “I demand that you give a straight answer. What is your motive here?”

There was a brief silence at the other end. Gibbs wondered if he lost the signal. He wasn’t technological savvy and left most of that up to McGee, but he did know a few things. He was concerned that something did happen. He, like everyone there, was well aware that Ray had injuries from the break in at Leland and he left Bethesda AMA, and not even that. The injuries could really be catching up with him. He saw evidence of that in his basement even though Ray did his best to hide it. He waited for a response with everyone else.

_You know the answer to that, Olivia. What we all wanted for ten years. Funny how it is going to take the alphabet soup to do it. Agent Tobias Fornell is there right? Don’t be shy._

Fornell made a face at Gibbs like Ray was one of his irresponsible kids. He replied, “Yes. Salazar, are you going to make this easy on us and come in?”

_Ask Olivia that. She knows what’s at stake._

Gibbs and Fornell looked at Hicks. If she admitted as much, she could be removed for conflict of interest. If she denied it, then there would be sketchy cooperation. They were impressed at Ray for putting her in between a rock and a hard place. He was in hot water and not above throwing people under the bus. If only to move them forward.

Hicks was enraged at Ray. She hated the man. She hated him ever since they met because of his overbearing and damnable sense of honor. Yet she couldn’t deny that he was right. But she wasn’t going to make it easy. She had spent a decade getting back to where she was, and she wasn’t going to throw it all away. She replied, “I’m not the one that is a mistake, Salazar. You turn yourself in now or things will go bad for you. You are a wanted fugitive and I will hunt you down.”

_You are welcome to try. Just remember that the snakes are slippery. Easy for them to bite the hand that feeds them._

_Gunny, I’d stay close to the squints for a while. The puzzle needs to get all the pieces._

“This is your last warning,” Hicks countered. She was ready to yell at him but was refraining since there were NCIS agents all over the place. Not to mention Gibbs’ team was there.

_We’re all culpable, Olivia. By the way, that color is bad for your complexion._

Hicks straightened up. She opened her comm, “Check the Yard. He’s here.”

Gibbs held onto his phone and didn’t move. He had to resist the smirk on his face. Fornell was doing his best too as he gave a tap to Gibbs’ arm before calling in to his agents. He turned to look out the window that they were standing next to. He had a good view of the Navy Yard and what was in the distance. He knew his phone was still on and said, “Good luck on the seas, Skipper. Rough waters ahead.” He then ended the call.

~0~0~0~0~

Ray looked through the sniper scope that he had brought with him as he disconnected the call. He blinked as he watched the agents from the FBI and NSA scramble and almost wanted to laugh. He leaned against the rooftop as he viewed through his scope. He could see Gibbs through the window of NCIS and it was like they were almost looking at each other as the man wished him luck before disconnecting.

Ray looked and fingered the burner in his hand. He knew that Hicks would try to trace the call once she realized it and she was going to be burned. Burners were virtually untraceable, which was why he and the assets aka spies still used them. He turned and leaned against the wall and took a moment to breathe. He wasn’t overly concerned that they were going to find him.

When he woke up that morning, he came up with a plan of action. It felt on the fly, but it was what he had to work with. He already had made an impulsive move at Leland and it was only a matter of time before they figured it out. He couldn’t go outright and claim innocence. The trump card for Hicks was that she had security footage of him aiding and abetting.

Turning back to look in the direction of NCIS as he dialed another number. He held the phone as he listened to the ringing in his earpiece. He studied the landscape until the other end picked up. Without preamble, “It’s me. We’re on.”

_You don’t waste time._

“I just put Hicks on alert that I’m alive and kicking.”

_You just had to piss her off._

“She never liked me, but she knows what I’m made of.” Ray turned to leave the building. He headed down the stairs, not worried since he knew well how to blend in. “I’ve had to work with her on several ops before DZ. We don’t agree on all things, but she is one of the good ones.”

_I told you who she’s in bed with._

“She’s NSA and was… is… a top cleaner for the Pentagon.” Ray chuckled as he could almost hear the incredulous look on his contact’s face. “We’ve been in this game for a decade and before then. It’s all about building relationships. Even the love-hate ones.”

_No wonder she hates you._

Ray chuckled as he exited the building. He turned and started walking down the street to blend in with the foot traffic. “And it wasn’t my idea to sit on this for nearly a decade.”

_No, but you paid the price, and everyone thinks you are the bad guy._

“We all knew that someone had to take the fall,” Ray replied softly, “At least we got to it before the gag order was enacted.”

_And you had a hole or two in your stomach, dehydration… the works. Still looks like you’re doing more of the same. How are you holding up?_

“As good as can be expected.” Ray had come to a park and stopped to sit on a bench. He looked around and pretended to relax and reflect on things. “I don’t like that it took Simkins and Syd taking out a Navy lieutenant and Marine corporal to trigger our move.”

_Are you sure that they are only that?_

Ray sat up, feeling the twinge in his back. He was still surprised that he was up and running with a severe laceration to his kidney along with GSWs in his arms. He had to back burner this as he focused on the conversation, “What are you talking about?”

_Exactly what I’m talking about._

“Tell me more.”


End file.
